


Got what it takes

by thebeastinsideusall



Series: Got What It Takes [1]
Category: Burlesque - Fandom, Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky is hot as fuck, Burlesque, F/M, Music, One Shot, Reader Insert, bucky loves you, reader - Freeform, singer - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-20 19:56:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 23,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6022783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebeastinsideusall/pseuds/thebeastinsideusall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky's finally over most of what happened to him. Steve thinks it's time he got back out there and got himself a dame, does Buck have what it takes?? One things for sure, Bucky has met his match.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Come on, Buck! Please? For me?" Steve glanced and pleaded at his best friend, sending the assassin the most pitiful puppy dog eyes you could ever imagine. 

 

"Why?" Bucky relented only slightly, trying his best to ignore Steve’s begging look. It worked almost constantly and he hated to admit that it did. 

 

"Bucky you’ve been cured for nearly a year now, no nightmares, no episodes, nothing. I think it’s time to put yourself out there." Steve reminded him. 

 

It was true, he'd been cured of almost everything HYDRA had done to him. He was still a bit self-conscious about the arm. But he no longer flipped the switch when he got nervous, nor had he almost killed anybody in a long time. That didn't mean he was okay with going to a club with Steve to meet women. He hadn't flirted with a dame since the war. He was rusty as hell.

 

"Where is this place anyways?" Bucky asked, rolling his eyes as Steve’s eyes lit up and he went into great theatrics about the club. How they played all the good music from their youth and more. How gorgeous the dames were and how great the place was.

 

It got to the point where Steve was repeating himself about the girls and Bucky had had enough, he'd regret it he knew, but he couldn't deny his best friend. 

 

"Alright punk, I'll go..." Steve gave a whoop of excitement and dragged Bucky to the assassin’s closet to help him get ready. After shooing away the captain, Bucky clothed himself, he was the ladies’ man, not Steve - that he remembered clearly.

 

\-----

 

Back stage was a cacophony of laughter, groans of not finding the right costume, the band setting up for the next set, low lights casting some of the corners in shadows as a group of girls got ready for the night.

 

This wasn't a strip club, far from it. These girls sang and danced their hearts out to the classics; the legends; the ones forgotten by time and brought back by their voices and flowing bodies. 

 

This was a family of strays that latched onto each other and hung on for their life when one fell too far off the edge. They were close, no secrets, no shyness, no bad will to the others. It was perfect.

 

"Hey, guess who's back tonight, with friends?" A dark haired co-worker whispered loudly over the music and voices backstage. 

 

You knew who it was she was talking about; you smirked and rolled your eyes. A few months back, a certain avenger had taking a liking to the club and you weren't complaining because, holy hell, attendance had gone through the roof lately.

 

But there wasn't any interest in the Captain, Steve, he wanted you to call him. But you couldn't. He was great to look at, perfectly sculpted and chiseled as if he was crafted by the artists of Rome themselves. Eyes were so bright a blue that they could put the sky to shame on its brightest day. And you don't even have to get started on his voice and mannerisms. The man could melt a girl to her bones by calling her a "dame".

 

But even with all the physical and mental attributes he has. There wasn't that pull; that undeniable proof that it would mean anything if you did decide to hook up with the avenger. It would be nothing more than a friendship, at most. 

 

He still came to the club, quite often. And it wasn't really for you. He loved the music more than anything. You could see that in the way his eyes would glaze over a bit as the band played a certain song…memories flashing over his vision that only he could see in his mind’s eye. He knew some of the songs, hummed softly with the melody as his feet swayed a bit under the booth he sat in. 

 

"Friends? Please tell me he didn't drag Tony Stark here again... I thought he was banned?" You took a peek out from the curtains and searched for Steve, catching a glimpse of him at the bar talking. And laughing with the bartender. But no sign of Stark or anyone else, they must be sitting somewhere in the balcony.

 

Thoughts of who he could have brought with him were shoved from your thoughts as the band gave the signal for the first set and you were off, finding your place on the stage as the curtain was drawn and your fellow dancers fell into place. Show time.

 

\------

 

Bucky was a bit uncomfortable. He hadn't expected the women to be wearing that little clothing. His eyes started over their bodies as the songs progressed into the night. Many of them in nothing but bustiers and panties and heels as they danced around the stage to the songs.

 

Steve didn't come here for the woman, obviously; Bucky could tell it was the music. The soft ways and heavy allure of the drums and trumpets as the Jazz and swing music played from the live band. It was heaven though, to hear it like this instead of from CDs and YouTube videos like Steve had shown him.

 

But the dames, Bucky couldn't take his eyes off them. Each one absolutely beautiful in their own way. They moved together, like a single unit. Moving and swaying with each step and reacting to the others around them. It reminded him of a military unit, each move calculated and done in perfect time. If done incorrectly it brings the entire group down. 

 

The lights dimmed and the curtain drew down again, his gaze lingered on the bright eyes of a lead dancer before the curtain came down completely. Obscuring her from view as she flew off the stage and into the back with the others.

Those eyes caught his attention, wide with life and laughter and happiness. She was gorgeous.

 

"What do ya think, Buck? Told you the music was great!" Steve clapped his hand over Bucky's left shoulder and leaned over to shout the words as the band played a set for intermission. 

 

He had to agree with Steve, the place had life and music. It felt great; he was having a great time if he would admit it to himself. On the upper floor balcony, he could watch over the crowd down below, the dance floor polished and shone, but you could still see the scratches and dents from years of hard dancers over the floor. It all reminded him of the dances and bars he would drag Steve to on their double dates. It felt right.

 

Smiling, he didn't answer his friend, holding up his glass of scotch and knocking it back as his eyes went back to the stage where the band had slowed its song and waited for the next performance. 

 

The curtain rose and his gaze lingered on the half empty stage, the lights were still dim, leaving him momentarily curious as to what was happening next. The light came up, soft pink glows and champagne colored bulbs bathing the stage in soft light. Showing a black grand piano and a set of huge ostrich feathers and over the middle of the piano top.

 

The soft jazz erupted and the feathers came back, revealing the most gorgeous bodied woman he'd seen on his nearly hundred years on the planet. Chest and waist and hips covered by nothing but lines of champagne colored pearls that swung and swayed as she sat up. 

 

"A guy what takes his time, I'll go for any time

I'm a fast movin' gal who likes them slow." Her back arched as she sat on top of the piano, showing even more lightly tanned skin and a flawless neck.

 

Bucky's heart stuttered and rammed in his chest as the words spilled from her mouth and not the speakers surrounding the stage and tables. 

 

"Got no use for fancy driving, wanna to see a guy arriving in low" She lightly pushed the pianist head down as she winked at the crowd. Good Lord, she was stunning.

 

"I'd be satisfied, electrified to know a guy what takes his time." He gulped, his hands sweating as she continued her song, Steve was watching in amusement as Bucky leaned further from his chair and into the balcony railing.

 

"A hurry-up affair, I always give the air,  
Wouldn't give any rushing gent a smile,  
I would go for any single who would condescend to linger awhile,  
What a lullaby would be supplied to have a guy who takes his time, ooh." 

 

Her hips swayed languidly as Buck and every single male in the club watched her in rapt attention as her voice called any and all sets of ears to hear her sing. She sidestepped the piano player and rolled her hips as she smiled and held her glass of sherry as she danced slowly around, feathers dancing over her skin from the other girls. 

Bright eyes caught his attention, it was the same dame from earlier. She had changed costume, threw a blonde bobbed wig on and he couldn't help but miss the long length of her natural hair and not the style of the bob.

 

"A guy what takes his time, I'd go for any time,  
A hasty job really spoils a master's touch,  
I don't like a big commotion, I'm a demon for slow motion or such,  
Why should I deny that I would die to know a guy who takes his time." 

 

Her smirk turned wicked as she feigned innocence and the top of her outfit was pulled from her body, quick as a flash the ostrich feather fan was covering her top half and some of the men hooped and hollered and whistled. Serving only to make Bucky growl possessively. 

 

"There isn’t any fun in getting something done,  
If you’re rushed when you have to make the grade,  
I can spot an amateur, appreciate a connoisseur in trade,  
Who would qualify, no alibi, to be the guy who takes his time?"

 

The bottom half of her costume was ripped from her in the opposite direction. It was all part of the show Bucky knew in his mind, even Steve was chuckling beside him, but Bucky couldn't join him. This girl, had caught his rapt attention and he wanted her, badly.

 

The focus on the song wasn't lost on him. The way she sang it like she did, she knew exactly what she was preaching with that angelic voice of hers and how she affected the men and woman both around the stage. He had been paying close attention to everything going on around him and on stage. Some parts of being an assassin never leave you. 

 

She finished her song as the band slowed and pulled in the sounds of their instruments, feather fans covering bother her chest and hips as she finishes the words in a soft moan that had Bucky nearly growling to have her. 

 

The curtain came down; the band picked up another filler song and the rage lights dimmed again basking the place in some darkness as the applause went on and on. 

 

Bucky’s mind was made up, he needed her, desperately. And Steve could see the hungry wolf like look coming over Bucky's face. He'd seen it a time or two on himself after watching her perform the first few times. He couldn't tell Bucky it was a lost cause; that she shot every man down that came up to her. Some softer than others. 

 

"I can introduce you after the show..." Steve grinned mischievously as Bucky's head turned around, surprised the man hadn't broken his neck with the quick movement. He ignored the glare from Bucky and laughed softly, nodding to his drink. "Trust me, Buck, she shot me down before I could even ask her."

 

"You know her?" Bucky took the offered drink and sipped lightly, glancing at the stage for maybe another glimpse of her shining eyes. 

 

"A bit, I'm a bit of a regular here and I know a good few of the dancers, being an avenger has its perks." He chuckled softly and took another long sip. Relieving in the burn of the alcohol, but remembering he couldn't get drunk even if he wanted to. Damn serum.

 

"You better, punk, I think it's time I see if I'm still as good as I was." They grinned at each other, toasting to Bucky for good luck as the next song was winding up and the curtain lifted.


	2. Chapter 2

The music was dying down. The last set of songs getting ready to play. The crowd was excited and tipsy. The club packed to the brim with men and woman. 

Bucky waited and watched from their perch on the balcony. He hadn't seen her since her last song and that was a good 15 minutes ago now. He'd downed two Jack and cokes by now with a third on the way and Steve was simply watching his friend grow more and more squirrelly as time wore on. 

Their waitress came back, a small slip of a woman but petite and well curved. Not one of the dancers but beautiful all the same. She tried and failed each time to make Bucky or even Steve give her any attention. No such luck as one super soldier was searching for another girl and the other was watching his best friend .

"Can I get you anythig else??" She oozed sexuality but neither men were having it tonight.

"Actually yes, could you send Allison up here? I'm a good friend." Steve spoke low, and with a wink as the girl squeaked out and nodded excitedly, happy to hear his voice directed at her.

"Shit punk, you been practicing without me?" Bucky was a tiny bit shocked, his little Stevie talking up a girl and voice heavy like that was something new to him. Steve had finally gotten some balls to talk to women!

Steve smirked and rolled his eyes, the tiniest blush on his cheeks hidden by the dim lighting and smokey atmosphere. "Sam's a good wingman, but nobody beats you Buck,"

They waited and watched as another song started up. Something about a dentist and long john, three woman dressed in old nurse uniforms and strutting about on stage. Bucky didn't want to see or hear anymore songs, he wanted to meet this girl with bright eyes and the voice of an angel.

"Allison," Steve greeted someone standing behind their table. With his focus on searching for the girl he'd turned his back to look into the first floor and the stage. 

Now he turned around and nearly dropped his jaw. She was even more gorgeous then down on the stage. Impossibly long hair pulled to the right shoulder. Bright eyes that shone in the dimness with a playful and happy light. Every curve of her body on display as she came closer to stand by Steve a bit. Wearing a jet black vest, deep plunging neckline to showcase the globes of flesh she so expertly showed off on stage. The tiniest pair of shorts on earth, they had to be illegal.

It hit Bucky all at once. Her beauty. They way she stood by Steve and not him, that made him want to growl, like actually growl like an animal. The expanse of flawless skin being shown. It was like a switch got flipped on in his mind and he was ready for the challenge.

"Rogers this ones new," Allison spoke sweet and low, the sultry lilt of her voice barely concealed by the sweetness coating over her words.

"Allison, this is ..."

"James Barnes doll, but you can call me Bucky." He had cut Steve off easily, standing to his full height and bowing a bit, taking her hand gently and pressing his lips to her knuckles. His eyes darkened as he touched her soft skin and was delighted by her shocked expression. He'd got her..

She took her hand back politely, a raised eyebrow sent in his direction for a moment. "Aren't you a charmer," her eyes glowed with laughter and something else as his brow furrowed slightly. That move never failed, at least he remembered it that way.

Steve was trying very hard not to chuckle or laugh. Seeing Bucky get shot down so quickly was priceless. In all his years he'd never seen Bucky shot down, ever.

"Allison," she gave her name formally. Instead leaning her hip into the back of Steve's chair as she watched Bucky's reaction. She wanted to see what he would do. One of two things were sure about this dark haired soldier with sex me lips and lust heavy voice.He was either outrageously possessive or fiercely dedicated. 

"This your first time here?" She spoke, reaching over , making sure to bend at the waist so he could get a good long look at her visible chest, and took Bucky's drink off the table. Sipping it as if she owned it, little minx.

"It took me months to get him to come here." 

"I wished I would have come sooner, I would have met the most beautiful woman here much faster." Bucky gave a wink and a lopsided smirk that he KNEW worked on every woman he'd come across. 

"Oh you mean Georgia? Or Nicky? Maybe Cocoa?" She smirked back taking another sip of the Jack and coke her other hand fiddling playfully with the cherry floating on top. She wasn't falling for him.

"Feisty little minx, aren't you Allison?" Bucky retorted, voice heavy with want as he watched her take the cherry from the drink before setting down the now empty glass.

"You've no idea, Bucky." With that and a wicked grin she popped the cherry , stem and all in her luscious mouth. Within seconds she slowly pulled the stem from her pink lips, and set it on the table in front of him. Bucky's darkened eye never leaving hers.

"As much fun as this was boys, I really need to get back to work." She bent over and kissed Steve's cheek, shocking the blonde man a bit as she whispered something in his ear before giving Bucky a mischievous wink and a roll of her now reddened tongue over her lips before turning and strutting off in those sky high heels. "Later Barnes," she turned her head and gave a two finger salute his way and a wink before vanishing in the crowd.

Bucky was a snarling mess on the inside. She touched Steve, kissed his damn cheek! What was wrong with him? Was Steve better looking then him? No. So what was it?!

"What the hell?!" Bucky whisper yelled over to his friend who was now chuckling behind his hand, shoulder shaking with the effort to hold it back.

"You've lost our touch a bit haven't you," Steve teased a bit at his friends expense, he just couldn't help it. She had complexly ignored any and all flirting from Bucky Barnes and give it right back to him.

"What did she say to you?" Bucky growled out around clenched teeth.

"That you're too big for your britches." Steve let out a heavy laugh before calming himself again while Bucky silently fumed. He'd never been turned down before, he knew he hadn't by the way this felt.

"I'll have her.... I want her Steve."

"Bucky, she's not a jacket or a gun you can just 'get', girl like her? You gotta earn her." Steve smiled at his friend before glancing at the table in front of Bucky, turning a grin his way.

Bucky glanced down and nearly choked. The cherry stem? It was knotted expertly and laid on the table in front of him. And not just one knot, but two. It had to be a sign or a signal, Bucky just didn't know which or how to interpret it al all.

Steve was right, this girl. She wasn't to be bought or charmed. She had to be earned. God he wanted her. Never letting her go after he got her either. She was a keeper.

"He's right you know.." The new voice startled Bucky and Steve both from their talk and thoughts. A pretty girl was standing at the table, tray held out in her hands as she picked up the empty glasses.

"I didn't mean to interrupt but, he's right. Allison is cursed with being that beautiful, she's dealt with guys her entire life." Her accent suggested southern, Texan maybe, but it was soft and not outrageously so. She glanced at the cherry stem but left it there. "She can't be bought with sweet words and roses. You want her , mister? You work damn hard to get her." She left , simply walking away with her tray of empty glasses and bottles. 

"Looks like I need to step up my game Stevie." Bucky picked up the cherry stem and pocketed it. Challenge accepted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, suggestions and opinions are welcomed!!


	3. Chapter 3

"Allison!! Who was tall, dark, and dangerous with the captain?" Allison rolled her eyes at the girls squeals at the hunk from the table. More like hunk of meat and the girls were the jackals.

"No idea, a friend of his." She waved them off and went to her mirror. Dancing meant sweat and sweat meant you had to wear industrial makeup that never wore off no matter how much you tried to get it off. Now she had to get it off her face before she had raccoon eyes.

Wiping away the eyeliner and sparkling shadows and lipstick. Her mind rolling back to the man with Steve tonight. The girls were right. He was tall, dark, and oozed danger. Broad shoulders, muscled arms and legs, and a smile that could make a weak hearted girl faint.

With a scoff to herself she reapplied some normal makeup and pulled on her regular clothes. Happy to be out of the too tight vest and shorts. Tess loved the outfits but some nights they were just too uncomfortable to be in all night long between shows.

"What was his name?" Alison gave a shrugg to Georgia, she wasn't playing into the other girls game. "No idea, didn't ask." Pulling on her white pea coat Allison fluffed her long hair out of the collar and waved goodbye to the girls. 

"Allison" she stopped mid step and turned to glance at her boss. The dark haired beauty tilted her head and Allison followed toward the exit doors to their employee parking lot.

"Yes Tess?" Allison was tired, she wanted to have a drink after the long night of shows and to get the image of James Barnes out of her mind.

"You got some company at your car," she gave a wink as Allison groaned. Knowing exactly who it would be by her baby blue pick up.

Walking out Allison put her face back into its default bitch mode. If this guy wanted to play, she'd play. The door swung open and her heels clicked onto the pavement as she made her way to the back of the lot where her beat up truck sat waiting for her with someone leaning against the cab.

The figure was hunched casually with his back leaning into the pale blue metal of the truck. Broad shoulders bunched as long muscles arms crossed over his chest. His face was obscured by the shadow of the building but the brigh red spot floating by his chin flared as the cigaret was pulled from and smoke curling from hidden lips.

She almost faltered in her steps at the sight of him. Never mind tall, dark and handsome. This man, he was the epitome of sex god mixed with the devil. With a deep breath Allison kept going toward her truck.

"You know, smoking is really bad for you." Allison stopped by the cab of her truck, a good yard away from Bucky Barnes as he smirked in the dim shadows and flicked ashes from the end of the coffin nail.

"It's gonna take a lot more then a smoke to kill me." He retorted, flicking the but down and squashing it under his boot as he stood from his slouched position. Good lord he's a giant! Standing a good head taller than the top of the truck cab.

"Any reason you're out here? Customer parking is the other side of the building." She really wanted him to move, away from her, so she could get into the truck and leave. His presence was one thing in the club. Broody and dark and somewhat primal. Now he was intimidating and feral and the way he looked at her made her want to shiver. He saw it, dammit.

"Just out enjoying the best view in the city doll." He nearly whispered, voice heavy and laced with promises as he thrust his hands into his pockets to tilt his head and look at her.

"How many have fallen for that line?" She rolled her eyes to hide the warmth in the pit of her belly at the intense darkened look in his bright blue eyes.

He chuckled softly and she was hit with an intense want from the sultry sound from his lips. "None who ever called me on it." He smirked and winked at her, posture cocky.

There it was. The reason why she didn't date . The cockiness that came with the gorgeous ones like him. So sure of themselves and their looks with nothing of substance beneath the corded muscles and Adonis chin.

"You're blocking my truck" Allison raised an eyebrow and watched as Bucky threw up his arms playfully in surrender and stepped just far enough away so she could slip past him and unlock her truck.

He was silent. She didn't like that, with the door unlocked she opened it with a loud creak only the heavy metal made trucks of the 70's could accomplish. Without a glance she hopped into the old weathered seat and placed her purse down beside her.

"Well! As fun as this was Barnes..."

"Bucky," he grinned, closing her door and leaning his arms in the now open window beside her. He was too close, she could almost feel his breath in her cheek as she reached over to start the engine.

"Yeah, I only call people close to me by their first names, nicknames." Allison rolled her eyes and the truck came to life with a roar. He was playing and she hadn't dealt the hand yet. Pulling herself together Allison leaned over to whisper softy in Bucky's ear.

"I'm so out of your league Barnes, that I'm in outterspace." She let her breath mingle gently over Bucky's ear and then leaned back into the cab, pulling the truck into drive and taking off making Bucky quickly sidestep out of the way of the moving vehicle.

"Feisty little minx," Bucky chuckled out into the parking lot. Making his way off the lot and towards the street where Steve waited for him in one go Starks borrowed cars. His hand reaching for the pack in his back pocket and pulling out a cigarette. 

He'd get her. She let herself slip tonight out in the lot. The falter in her steps at the sight of him. The breathy tilt to her voice as she composed herself to speak to him. The thrill of the chase beginning to seep into his body.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you UnidentifiedAnon, for you're amazing thoughts and suggestions!! You're ideas are makin their way into the next few chapters and as always you are welcome to give more ideas You'd like to see!!

"What's got Elsa all growly lately?" Tony asks Steve as they watch ,amused ,as Bucky pushes himself in the training room. At least fifty pounds over his normal push weight on the weight bar. His face a mixture of a grin and a grimace as he keeps going, arms shaking with the force of effort.

Steve only smirked for a moment watching his best friend before chuckling softy under his breath and motioning for Tony to follow him so they were out of earshot of the super soldier.

"He's found a dame." Steve watched as Tony gaped at him, looked over Steves shoulder to the window wall of the gym and back to Steve a few times. Entirely enjoying how Tony was flabbergasted at the idea.

"You're tellin me, the 'has been' player from the forties, the one who won't even look Natasha or Pepper in the eye when they show too much cleavage, has found a girl?!" Tony exclaimed loudly and Steve had to pull him into the elevator so Bucky wouldn't hear all the shouting. 

"Yes." Steve said proudly as an image of Allison came to mind. She may be a wildcard but the woman could sing and dance like her life depended on it. And she was obviously attracted to Bucky, big time.

"Who. When. Where. How!" Tony exclaimed and poked Steves chest, the taller man raising an eyebrow at the shorter.

"I'm not telling you who. You'll try and start something with Buck and we both know you need your suit just to be even with him in a fight. Happened the other day when I took him out with me." Steve smiled. "Not telling you where exactly, but its got the best view on the strip."

"He's going to go see her again tonight, I think. But there's a big chance she'll turn him down again. She's hard to get." Steve smirked and shrugged as Tony started to grin and come up with a plan. Mischievous asshole.

"Tonight huh? I think I'm going to go see Clint," whistling softly to himself Tony walked off onto the common room floor where Clint, Sam and Scott were having an animated discussion about bugs. 

All Steve could think was that if these guys couldn't tease Bucky into trying harder to get the girl. No one could. With that he smiled and went back to the training floor to spot Bucky before he strangled himself with the extra weight. Cocky bastard.

\--

He has to train harder. Otherwise he'd drive himself crazy by going out and looking for her. Bucky's amazed he's lasted this long without using the tools around him to track her down to find every place she's been, where she lives and what nights she works. Who she hangs out with, favorites restaurants, all of it.

She's driving him utterly insane! With her long hair that looks so soft and thick his hands itch to tangle the locks in his fingers and pull her close. Her skin so perfectly unmarred, as far as he could tell, but boy would he love to see every inch of her just to check for scars, blemishes, tattoos. Holy hell if the woman had ink he'd ... Well he wouldn't think about making that sort of mess in his favorite sweats.

But it's her eyes and voice that kill him. Those eyes that convey so many emotions and leave him feeling drugged up on her. The voice of an angel can't be as beautiful as hers. There's no way she's divine, she's sent straight from hell to make him believe in a higher power. Because her eyes looking into his very soul, and her voice calling it from his body, that's something that can't be described. He had to have her.

He pushed himself harder in the training room. All day long. Because if he stopped, he would move. And if he moved he would track her down using everything that Hydra shoved into his brain over decades of training. And looking like a stalker was not in the list of things he wanted her to know or think about him. He'd try again tonight, he had to see her at the club.

\---

"Alley-cat!!! You're on in five honey!! Hurry it up!!" Shaun called from the other side of the little dressing screen Allison had hid behind to change. It was difficult getting into the "tough lover" outfit. All that leather to squeeze all these curves in? Yeah, not exactly fun when you're getting snickered at because you have to pinch and tuck it all into that leather underwear.

"I'm coming you old fart!" Shaun laughed at that and told her she had three minutes now. Zipping the final spot on her outfit and setting her leather biker hat just so on her long flowing hair, Allison got on stage behind the curtain and got into her spot with her two backups.

For a split second as the curtain was being raised she looked out onto a certain balcony, her heart fluttering a tiny bit to see three silhouettes against the bright lights in her vision. It looked like his profile but she couldn't be sure from this distance and lighting. She's have to wait till after her set. 

She almost missed her signal, watching that balcony for a dark haired devil that's infiltrated her thoughts, dreams and life like a hurricane. Tearing her up and throwing away everything she thought about dangerous men. 

\-----

"Ooh, oh yeah yeah  
Oooh yeah yeah!!!"

The curtain came up and Tonys jaw dropped at the sight. The woman strutting on the stage was a vision that Tony could dream about for years and years and never grow tired. Leather clad hips and chest, accenting pale skin in the stage lights as she swung her hips back and forth provocatively.

"I need a tough lover, yeah yeah yeah  
I need a, a tough lover, woo!  
I need a, a tough lover, yeah yeah yeah  
A tough lover, ooh yeah!"

"That is her, no?" Pietro leaned forward in his seat, nearly falling off the balcony as he leaned over, bright blue eyes wide and staring at the beautiful woman. His accent think with want instantly.

"When he kisses me, I get that thrill  
When he does that wiggle I won’t keep still!   
I wanna a tough lover yeah, yeah  
A tough lover woo  
I need a tough lover yeah, yeah  
Tough lover!"

Her hands crept over her abdomen and torso, roaming over her body provocatively and looking entirely in her element. She pulled the tambourine player Ito the stage with a yank.

"Can't be! She's too gorgeous to fall for the cranky bastard..." Tony was aggravated, how could THAT want Barnes? The band player was pulling her too and fro as they danced for a moment, she was laughing and smiling at every turn.

"The seven sisters got nothing on him,  
I’m talking about a lover who’s fast as the wind" 

They were have grinding into each other before she spun away from him and threw her head back in a laugh as he stumbled to catch up after her.

"If the soldier does not charm her, I will." Pietro licked his lips and slammed the last of his vodka. Eyes unblinkingly watching the woman.

"Everyone will talk about how he got me fixed, It ain’t voodoo, it’s just that twist!  
He will be the greatest lover that ever come to pass, Don Juan ain’t got the half the chance!"

"Barnes is one lucky man.." Sam whispered over the music as she pulled the player to his knees in front of her only to shove him away with her heeled shoe to turn and strut halfway across the stage.

"...Step on Jesse James’s blue suede shoes, yeah!  
A tough lover yeah,yeah!  
A tough lover woooo!  
A tough lover yeah, yeah!  
A tough lover hey yeah, yeah yeah!  
A tough lover yeah, yeah!  
A tough lover yeah, yeah!  
A tough lover oh oh!!"

Tony snapped a hi def picture of her at the end of the song, smirking to himself as he showed Pietro and Sam before shoving the phone is his pocket and ordering a round of drinks. They knew what she looked like at least now. And it was only a matter of time before Barnes showed up to try and woo her again. Tony wanted a front row seat.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh Tony, you're such a teasing ass...

What the absolute HELL is Stark doing here?!?! Bucky had waltz into the club, paying his entry fee and making his way to the bar in the crowded space. His eyes had searched for a familiar voice or long hair but one quick look up into his and Steves normal balcony had Bucky spitting his Jack Daniels and snarling out in sudden animalistic rage at the sight of the billionaire.

Stark was supposedly banned from here, or so he had thought, what with the mans womanizing ways. And fuck.. The sokovian and Wilson were here as well. What the hell were they all doing here? Oh god.. They KNEW!! They knew about Allison. Had to if they were all here at once. The sokovian rarely ventured out of the tower.

His hand nearly crushed the tumbler in his fist before he calmed his inner Winter Soldier into submission and set the glass down a bit roughly onto the polished wood bar. The bartender raising an eyebrow and refilling the glass before tipping his bowler hat and flirting with a pretty blonde at the end of the bar.

Okay, Stark being here is the worst thing possible at this point but he wasn't leaving. He had a plan and it didn't change now that three of the Avengers were here. Nope, still gonna take another crack at his dame. She was crumbling, slowly, but still cracking under his charm. 

The curtain started to pull up and he was again struck by the beauty that she was. Her curves clad in skin tight leather, he could almost hear the soft creak of it as she moved. Good lord he was going to die just staring at her as she was. 

Tough lover huh? Oh sweetheart you have no idea...

\---

"Hey Alley?" Allison popped her head up from her mirror and gave a raised eyebrow at Nicky, they didn't really get along. But whenever Nicky called her Alley, she needed a friend. 

"What's wrong Nicky?" Keeping her time in the back of her mind she continued to work on her hair for the next number.

"Starks back, I don't know if I can do my number with him here... Do you... Would you?" Instantly Allison nods and rises up to peek through the curtain. Sure enough stark is seated in HER balcony. Instead of tall, dark and growly, there was the billionaire, and two more men she didn't know. 

She was not upset about this. Not one bit. So what if he wasn't here? It didn't change anything. Her heart was not beating faster in anger that he wasn't here every night just to see her. Nope.

"No problem. But you're gonna have to face him, we can't keep banning him." Nicky nods an sighs softly.

"Yeah but he's handsy and I just can't flirt back professionally when he's in a relationship,"

"Well he's a dick and rich, what more do you expect?" Allison smiled as Nicky walked away. 

Great... Not that she didn't love her job but this was going to be a long night. She bitterly thought and went back to her mirror, going trough her costumes to find the ones for when she has to take over Nicky's sets. Not thinking about dark hair and bright eyes an deep, gravely voices that makes panties wet and hearts constrict. Nope.

\---

Bucky's stays down on the stage floor. Avoiding the view of the balcony and staying out of sight in a dark corner close to the bar and stage . Waiting, watching, stalking..? Okay maybe not stalking, he's not an animal. But.. He can't deny the want to take. To claim. To make his. It's instinct. 

Okay. Yeah, he's stalking. But not in the creepy way. In the way a wolf watches its prey, just out its grasp before sinking its jaws into soft flesh and claiming what's his. Okay, he's an animal. Sue him.

The band starting up again. An odd sense of nostalgia coming over him at the slightly familiar tune swaying from the sound stage and the curtains coming up.

It's her. And God is she shocking him all over again. Dressed in a mock women's military uniform from the forties. A Sargent, good lord doll you're killing me. Looking absolutely delectable in the too short skirt, her long muscled legs going on for miles. Insane. The woman wants to drive him insane! He knows he's nearly growling at the sight of her but he can't help it.

"He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way. 

He had a boogie style that no one else could play.

He was the top man at his craft,

but then his number came up and he was gone with the draft!

He's in the army now. 

He's blowin' reveille.

He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.!!"

There were five women up on stage. Allison the main singer with two backups and the other two singing the chorus behind them as they danced just like Bucky remembered. God he was feeling nostalgic right now watching her sing.

"They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam.

It really brought him down because he could not jam.

The captain seemed to understand,

because the next day the cap' went out and drafted the band.

And now the company jumps when he plays reveille.

He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.!"

He felt a presence come up behind him and refused to stiffen up. He knew who it was a moment later as a hand came to clap onto his left shoulder, over the long sleeved Henley he wore to cover the metal of his arm. Only one person did that so easily. 

"He puts the boys to sleep with boogie every night,

and wakes 'em up the same way in the early bright.

They clap their hands and stamp their feet,

'cause they know how it goes when someone gives him a beat.

Woah, woah, he wakes 'em up when he plays reveille.

The boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.!"

"Makes you remember the dames from way back when doesn't it Buck?" Steve slid into the shadows by Bucky and sipped from his glass. His bright gaze roaming over the girls on stage, Bucky's own eyes landing on Steve in a possessive manner as Steve looked at Allison for just a second. Oh he had it bad.

"She's not like those girls Stevie, she's so much more." Steve only nodded and smiled at his friend, giving him another brotherly pat on the shoulder before starting to hum along with the song. 

The song was ending and the girls taking a bow together, elbows linked and legs crossed in their too tall heels as they bent at the waist to bow. Chests heaving as they caught their breath. 

Bucky stepped from the shadows just a second, catching Allison's eyes and a wolf like grin on his face as she stumbled back a step at the sight of him. Her eyes blazing brighter then ever as she walked backwards before the curtain fell on her. Never taking her eyes from Bucky's as she was obscured from view.

He didn't have time to relish in the fact that the sight of him made her freeze up and fumble, forget to breath and miss a step in her heels that make her legs just scream to be wrapped around his hips. The flush that crept over her skin making her look like a deer caught in headlights. Dammit, whothe hell was texting him?

He was answered by a boatload of pictures of Allison in texts from Tony Stark himself. The asshole had taken pics all throughout the shows and sent them to Bucky. 

-Found her Elsa! Better catch her before Maximoff gets his claws in her-

-or Sam-

-hell I might take a crack at her, she's too pretty for your frozen ass-

-in fact I doubt you even have a shot with this one.-

-You've been out of the game for far too long old man. Let a young one take this wild fire off your hands-

Tony just signed his death certificate.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh lord, Bucky is getting really growly isn't he? God it's sexy....

GWIT 6

Steve glanced over at bucks phone, the screen actually cracking a bit under the grip the super soldier had on the device. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had made the normally just grumpy man turn into a snarling alpha male. His phone was still dinging with texts from Stark. And now Maximoff and even Sam were in on this! If they didn't let up soon, Steve wouldn't be held responsible for cleaning up their severed body parts.

Bucky outright snarled and shoved his phone is his pocket angrily, shutting it off before he really did some damage to the device. He'd been through three in the past couple months already because of his anger with the device and other people teasing him about it. His now free hand knocking on the bar for a glass of something really strong.

"Easy Buck, you know they're only baiting you. You know she's yours." It was better to tell Bucky he already had the girl. Otherwise he may make a scene with a lot of blood.

"I highly doubt that." He snarled back and stalked back to his darkened corner. His raging presence warding off anyone in their right mind to leave him alone and give him a wide berth lest they be injured. "But she *is* mine."

Steve clapped a reassuring hand on Bucky's shoulder blade and looked up as the curtain began to rise slowly, signaling the next number. "There's your girl, Buck." 

Bucky's hungry eyes couldn't have gotten any darker with want as the curtain revealed a vintage chaise lounge, overstuffed and a rich pink color. And there she was, reclined on it in nothing but a pink bustier and a tiny...tiny, little tutu that covered absolutely nothing. Her hair pulled up and a short straight bob wig in its place. 

"The dress is Chanel, the shoes YSL  
The bag is Dior, Agent Provocateaur"

She raised a leg up, sinuously rolling her toes over the other legs only to flip around and sit up straight, winking at the crowd.

"My address today, L.A. By the way  
Above Sunset Strip, the Hills all the way"

She tapped her pink lips with her glittery nails and threw her head back to bare her creamy throat, a throat Bucky wanted to mark with his teeth, before sitting up again an crossing her legs. Bucky took a heavy booted step forward, entranced.

"My rings are by Webster, they make their heads twirl, They all say “Darling, what did you do for those pearls?" What?! I am a good girl"

She flipped up, ending at the waist and laying her hands on the chaise lounge, her legs kicking up to tap her feet against her thighs as she wriggled those luscious hips left and right to the sound of tambourines ringing. Standing up straight, her hand to her chin as if she was shocked by the thought. Her hands grabbing a velvet rope and pulling it down provocatively.

"B.H. I adore, Rodeo L'amore  
Breakfast Polo Lounge, and poolside for sure  
The Chateau for cocktails, the Courtyard at nine" 

Still swaying her hips as she climbed up even more steps, her tutu bouncing, frantically trying to keep up with the movements of her hips and thighs. And Bucky couldn't blink. He couldn't look away even if Hydra was busting down the doors and held a gun to his head.

"Dan Tana's for dinner, the Helen's* divine  
You know I have found, the word’s gone around"

She had reached a pole in the middle of the stage and Bucky's jeans suddenly became just a bit more impossibly tight at the sight of her pulling herself up to slide down the pole and around it. 

"They all say my feet never do touch the ground. What?! I am a good girl!!"

She pulled up and her feet picked up, kicking playfully as she winked at the roaring crowd of mostly men as she vanished behind a revolving mirror at the side of the stage. 

Seconds pass and Bucky growls in frustration that he lost sight of her. Just when he's about to rip the head off of the hatted bartender the mirrors behind the bar swing open to show half of the girls that had been on stage, her right in the middle. 

Her tutu was gone and revealing the ruffled panties underneath and Bucky stalked toward the bar, shoving two grown men out of their seats as he took a close look over her. And once their eyes met as she was dancing, she couldn't look away either. Her own eyes glowing mischievously.

With a feral glint in his eye Bucky winked at her. Watched as she strutted and displayed her body on the back of the bar while the crowd screamed and howled for more as the band kept playing the song.

"I am a good girl!!!" 

The bartenders bent over and honest to god let her walk, in high heels, on their backs to the outer bar. Her long legs curled up on a tiny version of the chaise lounge that had appeared out of nowhere on the bar to the left of Bucky. 

"Yeah..." She feinted backwards into the chair and yanked the bartenders hat off of his head and pulling it over her eyes. Knocking back a shot of something as the lights went out. Bucky watching hungrily the entire time.

His eyes met hers in the hurried movements after her number, everyone scrambling to get back stage for the next. He grabbed her wrist possessively, not hurtful but enough to get his message across. Pulling her to bend down from her perch on the bar. His breath rolling over the shell of her ear and he grinned at the shudder that she couldn't hold back.

"You should show me..." Another hot breath over her ear as she stilled in his grip. "Just how good you can be, baby doll." Allison caught herself before she moaned out. Quick as a flash she pulled herself away from Bucky and hurried through the revolving door behind the bar, not looking back for fear she'd run right into his lap and never leave again.

Bucky watched the now still door for a moment, a primal glint in his eyes as he downed his glass and headed back to his darkened corner. His gaze flickering up to the balcony where he found Tony and the others, mouths hanging open as they watched him give them the one finger salute. 

"Get them to leave Stevie, I'm in no mood to deal with their baiting." He sipped at his fresh drink, a wolffish glint to his smirk. "I'm hunting tonight."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is Allison about to give in?

Tony watched with mouth agape as Bucky whispered in the girls ear, saw her shudder from across the club and how she flew away from him. Good lord, the soldier really did have it in him.

"I think it's time for you boys to leave," Steve said over the sound of the band playing through the break. Appearing behind the trio at their table. His arms crossed over his broad chest and eyes set on Tony. 

"Come on Capsicle, let us have some fun with the Tin Man!" Tony called back and took a drink from his glass. Laughing a bit at Steve's stoic expression. 

"We mean no harm Captain," Pietro spoke up but his eyes said something completely different. Almost the same intense hungry want in his gaze for the long legged singer down on the stage. 

"I'm sure you don't Maximoff, but at this point. If you three don't leave soon, I won't be held responsible for the Winter Soldier on a possessive rampage." The three froze slightly, drinks in mid air to their lips. 

"Shit. He's that bad off?" Sam sputtered and placed his glass down before he gripped it too tight. 

Steve nodded slightly. "He wants her, badly. I've never seen him so determined to get a girl. He's barely holding back from beating you three into a pulp." Pietro looked as if he would stay anyways but with Sam's grip on his younger shoulder he was pulled up from his chair along with a disgruntled Tony Stark and out the door they went.

"I hope you get the girl buck.." Steve sat in the vacated table and ordered a double whiskey and to keep them coming. He wanted to watch out for his friend but being close to him right now wasn't an option. Bucky was hunting and this time didn't need a wingman.

\-----

Allison what is wrong with you?! Her voice screamed inside of her own head as she hurriedly pulled of the bobbed wig and got ready for the next number. The dancers on stage now swinging to fast jazz music as Allison and a number of other girls got dressed again.

Her brain had froze. Her entire body shook with sheer hunger at the sight of that devil and it was taking eveyhing she had to not go back out there and find the bastard. The feral glint in his eyes and smirking lips, god it made her knees turn to jelly and her heart speed up to unhealthy levels. And now he knew, he knew she wanted him too. Fuck.

And God! The feeling of his hot breath on the soft spot behind her ear. It just turned her into a gooey mess and she nearly moaned out at the second breath on her sensitive flesh. -show me how much of a good girl you can be- oh she'd show him alright.

The only thing really keeping her from doing exactly what her body wanted, was her heart. She couldn't risk another cocky bastard to take over her life and keep her from doing what she loved. Trying to change her into a trophy instead of an equal. She won't have it. Not again. 

She took her spot on stage behind the curtain, tugging at her costume panties covered in a pattern of candy canes that matched her peppermint colored bra. Bucky Barnes wanted a challenge, well he got one.

\----

Bucky took his place in his corner, deciding to sit on the lone stool at the edge of the bar and face the stage as he leaned his back on the bar, long lean legs hooked onto the rungs of the stool as he watched the curtain ruffle with the movements of the girls behind it. The band picked up , somthing that felt old but had a new sound to it.

"Candy man, candy man,  
Sweet,sugar, candy man" 

Her breathy voice coming through as the curtain raised on the small group of dancers. Clad in... Candy? Oh sweet Jesus.

"I met him out for dinner on a Friday night. He really got me working up an appetite. He had tattoos up and down his arm.There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm"

Her eyes searched for his and she found him, her eyes flashing brightly under the pink and blues lights as she spoke out the last verse a bit breathily, almost messing up the next one as she stared at him intently. With a wink she kept going.

"He's a one stop shop, makes the panties drop. He's a sweet talkin' sugar coated candy man. A sweet talkin' sugar coated candy man"

Her hips dropped to the side and she ran her hands over her jutted out left hip and thigh before standing back up and licking her pointer finger to tap at her candy cane panties. Bucky's blood ran hot.

"He took me to the Spider club on Hollywood and Vine. We drank champagne, and we danced all night. We shook the paparazzi for a big surprise (a big surprise). The gossip tonight will be tommorow's headlines!"

She strutted closer to the edge of the stage closest to him without breaking too much out of her routine. Practically signing just for him and Bucky grinned up at her. Licking his lips at the sight of her.

"He's a one stop shop, makes my cherry pop. He's a sweet talkin' sugar coated candy man (oh yeah) . A sweet talkin' sugar coated candy man"

He could feel it. Her eyes watching his reactions. Her chest and neck flushing not with the singing but with him being near her. No one else in the club mattered. Not the whistling men, the crowing woman or the sound of yelling and shouts. 

Shifting in his seat to get more comfortable Bucky leaned a bit over and downed his glass, silently asking for another one without turning around. His eyes never leaving her form. 

"Well, by now I'm getting all bothered and hot. When he kissed my mouth, he really hit the spot"

He couldn't wait any longer. After tonight he'd have her. He knew it. She couldn't be this resilient for so long. Already he had cracked into her resolve more than ever tonight. He'd earn her if he had to. Kill a hundred men if she only asked. Anything for her.

"He had lips like sugar cane, oh. Good things come for boys who wait"

She looked square at him, pointing at him with her free hand as her other ran over her chest and across her stomach to skirt over to her thigh teasingly. Good god. Bucky growled, downing his fresh drink and welcoming the burn that came with it so he wouldn't tackle her on the stage then and there.

"Candy man, candy man..."

The curtain dropped just as she gave him a wink and blew a kiss his way. He couldn't help it, his hand reached up and grasped as air, holding it to his lips before fake shoving it in his pocket. A gut instinct reaction from so long ago. 

The message was clear. Good things come to those who wait. Question is. How long will she keep him waiting like this? Bucky wasn't an overly patient man, he liked to get what he wanted quickly. Hopefully, he could have her fall for him fast. Because he was damned to want her for eternity otherwise. And never let her go.

\------

The club was empty. Waitresses and bartenders cleaning the floor and wiping down tables. Dancers slowing down and relaxing backstage as they stripped out of clingy, skin tight clothes and into normal jeans and blouses. Thankful that they worked in such a great place and not a strip club. 

With a sigh Allison brushed off all the heavy make up and shimmering glitter. Cleaning her face and finding the woman underneath all the glitz and glamour. She was stalling. There wasn't any other explanation for how slow she was going tonight. She couldn't face him. She just couldn't because she •knew• that if she went outside after tonight, send fall for whatever bullshit he spouted.

Most of the others were already gone. Leaving only her and her boss Tess left backstage. Said boss holed up in her office taking in the nights payload. Knocking on the open glass door, Allison walked in. 

"Tess? You busy?" The older dark haired beauty looked up and took the glasses off of the bridge of her nose.

"Not so busy I can't talk some sense into you, sit down." Crap.. Allison sat down heavily in the overstuffed chair across from her long time boss.

"Allison... You can't let what happened in the past keep you from your future." Tess looked over at her pupil. Her literal pride and joy. If it hadn't been for this young woman in front of her. The entire club would have been closed and sold and tore down. She had been through bad relationship after bad relationship through the years she's worked here. Men just wanting to have the ability to say they'd had the famous singer from the burlesque lounge. Male pride...

"I just.. How can I trust another one Tess? I can't get hurt again... I won't survive it.." The pain radiating from Allison's voice was loud and clear. And Tess hated to hear that beautiful voice so saddened.

"You have to, honey. Because of you don't you'll end up old, alone and cranky as hell , like me." Tess smiled sadly but full of warmth at her pupil and Alley sighed. Nodding and taking the advice to heart while she got up and left. Heading toward the outside door to the parking lot. Where tall, dark, and dangerous would be waiting by her truck.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh Tony... You're such a child sometimes...

GWIT 8

Mid fall in the city was warm, almost muggy during the day. Though after nightfall the city became more alive with the cooling breezes and a break from the heating glare of the sun. Allison had always loved summed and fall. The bright colors and sunny days. But winter had always been her favorite of the seasons. How the cold and snow would envelope everything in a thick blanket of soft white flakes and the world would stand still for a few hours in the early morning after a big snow. 

The breeze was cooling of the parking lot. Metal cars giving off the heat that they had collected during long hours under the suns rays. And there he was. Again, leaning against the cab of her old truck, cigarette dangling from his right hand as he leaned his head back, looking at her over the bridge of his nose with such an intense gaze. Damn that man and his good looks. 

Her small talk with Tess rang in her ear and her heart. She couldn't completely swear off men. A woman had needs. She wanted more than that though. She didn't want a one night stand parade. She wanted long nights that led into smiling late mornings. Walks in the park and trips to diners and movies and shows. She wanted an equal. A partner. 

Squaring her shoulders she gave her mind a 'what the hell' thought and started walking towards her truck and the devil sent to throw her into sin leaning against it. Her heart flew in her chest at the sight of him. Always wearing dark clothes, his black Henley showcasing bulging arms and biceps. Metal arm gleaming in the low lights of the lot. Strangely, she didn't even notice it until now but she felt nothing towards it. Like a tattoo to other people, it was part of him. 

"You don't give up do you Barnes?" Allison quipped, trying to ease the tension in her voice as she crossed her arms loosely. 

He chuckled, a dark, lusty sound that struck her right to the core. "No, not really." Was all he said, lifting the cigaret to his lips to take a long drag and blow the smoke out into the air. 

"Can I help you?" She acted exasperated, hands on hips as Bucky flicked away the smokey white stub and stood to his full height. 

"I think you can. See there's this amazing singer who works here. Gorgeous legs, heavenly voice and hair so long i think Aphrodite wove it on her head." Bucky smirked at her, leaning his elbow on the bed of the truck and watching as she rolled her eyes and went to unlock her door, but still seeing the light blush in her cheeks. Another crack.

"I think you're full of shit Barnes." Allison scoffed at him. Everything in her body telling her to give in and her brain saying 'hell no woman,are you insane? He's the epitome of bad news, have you seen him?'

"And I know what I want." He came a step closer, closing her into the tiny space of her open door and the cab of her truck. 

It would only take a quick step back, a jump into the cab and her foot on the gas to get away. She was frozen, cornered by this giant of a man with the scent of clove cigarettes and aftershave and pure male. It enveloped her senses and drove everything out the window she'd been thinking of to make sure she didn't so exactly what she was about to do.

Her lips crashed to his, nipping at his bottom lip with her teeth to get him to open up. He was shocked and hadn't even responded yet. Good, she's got the upper hand now.. Her fingers reached and grabbed onto his classically cut short hair, it was soft as black velvet that it looked like, pulling it hard to make him hunch down to her height more so she could deepen the kiss. A little breathy moan escape her lips between heavy kisses.

It was heaven. It was hell. Lord it was everything that was good and sinful in the world meshed together into one feeling of pure electricity running through her every vein. She wanted more, the taste of his lips, the feeling of his frame standing over hers in an almost protective, possessive stance. Good lord almighty, what devil have you sent to me?

And just when he started to respond. His hands reaching to slip down her sides to grab at her jean clad hips. She released him, turning her back and climbing into the truck as if nothing had happened. But her flushed cheeks, her bruised lips, they showed what she had done. Condemning herself to admitting in the simplest way possible that she wanted him.

"You don't always get what you want, Barnes." She breathed out softly, the roar of the engine startling him from his lust filled daze and she slammed her door shut. Peeling out of the parking lot with a vengeance as if the devil was on her heels. Leaving said devil standing in shock, turning into an angering snarling demon as she vanished from his grasp so easily. 

\---

Natasha doesn't startle easily. No sir. She's only been startled a handful of times in her entire life. Bucky stalking into the tower at three am, literally snarling under his breath, and flipping every piece of furniture in his way, that startled her. Because that man does not show his anger, hell he rarely shows any emotion at all around the others. 

He stalked over to the communal fridge, pulled open the door so quick it almost took the door off, and ripped a bottle of vodka from the frozen depths. He said nothing and she said nothing, he had that murderous gaze in his eyes that reminded her with spine chilling flashes of the first time they met and he shot her. Nope, no saying a damn thing. 

"Is he gone?" What the hell? Was that...

"Stark? What in gods name are you doing under the sink?" The man of iron was cowering, cowering! Under the sink in the empty cabinet like a child hiding from a monster. Actually, scratch that, he was a child hiding from a monster.

"Thank god!" Tony peeked his head from under the sink, seeing the coast was clear he popped out and stood to his full height. "No time for questions Romanov! Check this out!"

Tony spent the next two hours with Natasha in the lounge, looking over every picture and video he took and many more online of the bright eyed woman of Barnes' affections. Planning and scheming to help Bucky get his girl because clearly, from the security footage outside the club tonight, he needed some help. 

They called Pepper in, and Sam, Scott and Clint dropped from the vents in the ceiling, and finally Wanda because she found all the loud thoughts distracting and had to figure out what was going on. They all joined in and moved to a sound proof conference room. A holographic table showing her apartment, she really needs to not live in THAT part of the neighborhood is she crazy? Her usual haunts, bars she's spotted in, hours she works and the stores she frequents. 

They made a plan. All of them grinning at the others at the fortune that landed in them. For too long Barnes had been a brooding, sulky mess for the entire time he'd been at the tower. He needed a girlfriend and fate chose this one to grab his attention. They all went off for their separate jobs to put the plan in motion. Hopefully, Bucky's got what it takes.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little heavy...

Four days later. No sign of Barnes. Normal days at work. The occasional appearance of Steve to hear the music but she knows HE sent him to check in on her at the club.

She was going insane in her own skin. The ghost feeling of his lips on hers, soft and sweet and utterly addicting. The immense possessive way his body stood over hers, protective and screaming MINE to the cameras on the side of the building, their only audience. That kiss was heaven and hell rolled into one and she didn't know if it was better to sin or sin.

Her skin felt tight, like she needed to shed it. The tiniest touch of his hands on her sides and hips, the faint traces of his fingertips along her cheeks. It was sending her into a tailspin of emotions she'd never felt before. She'd waned guys before. She'd never NEEDED a man before. 

And that's what he was. James Buchanan Barnes was no boy. He was a boy when he joined the 107th back in the forties. Now, he was a man. No trace of that bright eyed boy from his younger days. No ma'am , he was all man. And Allison craved him. 

"Allison!" Startled, Allison jumped slightly, keys in hand as she walked to her truck Saturday night after the club closed. Nicky and Cocoa looking at her with raised eyebrows. 

Everyone had noticed her being jumpy. Startled easily. That wasn't Allison. She was the epitome of cool and collected in their circle of friends. 

"Sorry, what'd you say Hun?" Sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck as she went over to her truck and unlocked the door. 

"We were wondering if you were hungry but you look tired. You should head home honey." Nicky nodded along with Cocoa and Allison had to agree she was exhausted. It wasn't her fault a dark haired demon infiltrated every possible thought and dream she could have. 

"Yeah, I think I'll head home girls.. Night." Jumping in her truck Allison leaned her forehead on the steering wheel for a moment to clam her thoughts. Because driving with a constant though train of the many things James was and made her feel could easily make her veer off the road.

The drive home was silent. She didn't even turn on the radio tonight. The music usually calming her after a long night singing and dancing but tonight the singers and bands were quiet to the brooding woman in the drivers seat all the way across the city, to the outskirts of Brooklyn. 

She missed him. There. She admitted it to herself. She missed him. The way he looked. The way he dominated a room with his bulk. The way he made her feel so utterly breathless with just a look. His lips on hers. She could only imagine what he would do if he had gotten a few more seconds of her against him. 

She should have been paying attention. Really, what was she thinking. Her apartment complex was bad enough. But it was early morning and the weirdos were out. She really should have paid attention to the new cars outside the duplex. And the busted security light on the stairs. Or the busted lock on the gate as she got to her floor. 

She finally noticed something was off when her door was already cracked open. It was too late as she pushed it open. Rummaging in her purse frantically for the pepper spray Nicky had jokingly bought her last Christmas. A gloved hand clamped over her mouth and another with a bruising grip around her waist, clamping down her arms to her sides with a strength she couldn't even comprehend. 

It was mostly a blur of adrenaline and fear after that. She bit the hand on her mouth, kicked backwards and landed the back of her knee in the guys crotch. She ducked under another set of gloved arms and tried to run out of her open door. Running into the now closed door, crotch guy had slammed it shut and she ran right into it. Pain exploded through her cheek and nose. 

"Grab her!" She tucked and ran, heels screaming on the old wood floor as she tried to run. They were great for dancing, running? Not so much. She was grabbed again, shooting pain in her upper arms and calves as she was hoisted up and carried out of her apartment. Both heels flipping off her feet in the struggle. She couldn't bat away the arms holding her. 

A van that wasn't there before was on the curb, side doors opening and she struggled anew. This was soooooo not happening right now! With a last ditch effort she filled her lungs with air and let loose a scream that nearly reached to the tower on the other side of the city. 

A sharp pain to the back of her head and she went limp. Her last thought before everything went black was hoping James had some sort of tail on her. She could really use a soldier right about now.

\----

Hard knocking on his door woke Bucky up from another vivid dream of Allison. Growling out, his foot knocking over an empty bottle of vodka on the floor as he trumped to the door. Ripping it open and snarling at whoever was in the other side. A raised eyebrow from his best friend made Bucky growl out why the fuck was he there at 3 am.

"Somethings happened to Allison, suit up. We tracking them now." With that's Steve was off to the elevator leaving Bucky in a stupor for several moments. Thinking it was a dream. 

"I said now, Barnes!" Step yelled in the Captain tone just before the elevator doors slammed shut and Bucky was moving. Opening the back of his closet and pulling on half of his tactical gear. Leaving the heavy Kevlar vest behind and opting for his stealth best that housed all his knives.

One thought running in a mantra in his mind. They have her. They have her. They have her. They have her! Over and over until he speeds from his apartment in the tower and slips in his boots to the stairs. Up fifteen flights with little to no effort to Stark's office where he knew Steve would be.

"When?!" He shouted before he even made it all the way through the door. His palms slamming down on the conference table and shaking the expensive wood while Steve and Tony stared at him for several seconds.

"About 15 minutes ago." Steve recovered first from the face of the Winter Soldier instead of his best friend, and had Tony bring up the darkened footage. Rewinding it as three masked men in tactical gear carried a fighting Allison out of her dingy apartment complex. 

"If it wasn't for those pipes of hers, we'd never have noticed. The lights fizzle out all the time in that part of the neighborhood." The video errupted from somewhat quiet of rustling boots and running engine before a shrill scream woke half the complex.

"Who?" Bucky asked calmly. Tony whipped his head around and his eyes widened. This wasn't Bucky Barnes in front of him right now. This was the Winter Soldier, out for blood, and ready to kill.

"Don't know, but we're following them on camera throughout the city." Steve responded quickly, Bucky nodded and started pacing back and forth. Watching as Tony tried to narrow down the streets and figure out where they were going. 

Bucky couldn't just go out and stop the van. He could hurt Allison in the crash. His left hand whirred and popped as he clenched and unclenched his fist over and over. Ready to snap necks. 

Someone took his girl. They had the gall to take his girl! Did these people have a death wish? Taking the soldier's dame right under his nose? They'd be dead by sunrise, that he could vow. No one hurt his dame, no one. But who'd be so stupid?

His pacing slowed until it stopped and he whirled on Cap and Stark. His dark blue eyes blown wife in rage and fear. 

"Hydra..."

"Bucky it can't be them. We destroyed the last known cell six months ago." Steve said back. Worry evident in his tone though as Bucky shook his head.

"That's six months to regrow. Six months to track. Six months to find me and find my... Weaknesses." His eyes met Steve's. "They can't get to you. So they found out about her... FUCK!!" Bucky's right hand clenched and flew into the wall, plaster and wires busted under his strength. He welcomed the pain of his knuckles splitting open and slowly healing.

"We'll find her Buck. We'll get her back.."

"Got it! Abandoned meat packing plant on the other side of the city." Tony shouted and pointed to the stopped van, just barely on the edge of the cameras sight. 

Three figures got out, two carrying a very limp body of Allison between them, the side of her face dark, blood. Before Steve could turn around, Bucky was gone. Out the door and down the stairs like a madman. Grabbing his motorcycle and burning tires as he sped off into the night. 

"Goddammit Bucky Barnes!" Steve shouted to the already speeding demon before he could even get off of the floor to the stairs.

"Language!" Tony shouting behind the already disappeared Steve. Cap pulled the helmet to his stealth suit down and jumped on his own bike. Taking off after Bucky and praying he wouldn't find bloodshed when he caught up to his friend.

\---

A shape slap to her cheek started to wake her up. Another made her head roll to the side and another made her downright pissed off. Gathering the blood and spit from her mouth Allison spat it out, hoping to hit someone with it. "I'm up you assholes." She croaked out, her voice hoarse from the scream she had let loose. The back of her head aching horribly, side of her face sticky with blood.

Fear creeping into her spine as her eyes opened to bright lights and the faces of men she didn't know surrounding her. She tried to move. Didn't get very far. Her hands tied behind her back and she was tied to a chair. Great, classic hostage move.

"Barnes found himself quite the pretty thing." A deep voice came from behind her. Heavy boots sounded almost silently as the unknown voice stalked around her. He finally came to stand in front of her. Dark eyes, dark hair cropped short, thick muscled arms and the stance of a military man. His eyes, they made Allison shiver in fear. Scarring ran up his arms and across his neck towards his face in thick lines that looked barely held together.

"Names Rumlow."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" despite the fear in her , Allison managed to keep her voice from wavering too much. Her mind going crazy at who this guy was and why the hell she was here.

He chuckled darkly, a deep bone chilling sound that made her heart speed up. "No. But it will soon enough." He stooped down to her level, reaching out and tucking a lock of her tangled hair behind her ear. His finger rubbing almost gently over her skin. She wanted to throw up. 

"You see. I want my asset back. And since he's never leaves that damned tower by himself. I had to ...improvise." He smirks at her obvious distaste of him near her and grabs her chin roughly, brushing her jaw with his grip. 

"And The Winter Soldier will come for you." He gripped a bit harder for a moment longer, eliciting a tiny whimper of pain from her. Rumlow smirked darkly, releasing her jaw and Allison jerked her head away from his hand. A single tear from the shock of pain rolling down her cheek as the words registered.

Bucky Barnes. He's the winter soldier. Metal arm... It all clicked with Allison. Of course she had known, in the back of her mind. That James was the soldier. Steve had spoken to her about it once. And with a night of Google she had figured out he was used like a weapon. It wasn't his fault. She didn't CARE. 

But this guy. Rumlow. He wanted James. Oh god. He was hydra... This man was part of hydra! Allison's eyes widened more as Rumlow walked closer, whipping a wicked looking knife from his pant leg. He wanted James. And he was using her to get to him. 

She couldn't let that happen. Allison steeled herself. Knowing exactly what was about to go down. They were using her as bait for James, and possibly Steve. She wasn't made for this. The knife coming closer, grazing along her collarbone, just barely touching skin. She couldn't let this happen.

'James Barnes... For the love of God, don't come after me...' 

The knife slid across her cheek and she couldn't hold back the scream of pain from her lips.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky saves the day!!

He heard her scream. Begging for mercy in his mind at what these men could and would do to her. His mask keeping snarling lips from showing in the darkened streets as he sped through the night. A few more streets. Just a few more and he'd find her. And he'd kill any man that got in his way...

Steve finally caught up. A block behind Bucky and catching up fast. Pushing his bike to limits he'd regret later but right now keeping Bucky in check and calm was the main goal. Steve had no idea how difficult this was going to be. 

Their bikes skidding to a stop, kick stands out and hands on weapons as they moved silently through the shadows toward the meat packing plant. Their boots silent as the grave and eyes sharp in the darkness. Steve was good at stealth. But Bucky, he lived and thrived in the shadows. This was his domain. 

They felt the chill in their spine milliseconds before they heard the strangled, muffled scream inside the plant. Bucky took off without a thought. Steve on his tail as they barreled through the loading doors and took out countless men in tactical gear. Bucky's knives meeting their hearts and his bullets between their eyes. He wasn't taking prisoners, and Steve let him.

Another booming scream, the voice cracking from the strain and they could feel the fear in it. Louder this time, they were close. Steve motioned Bucky ahead, taking care of the latest round of men trying to slow them down. His shield bouncing off of chests and flying back to him. He could do this while Bucky got his girl. 

\---

"Looks like he's here." Allison spit out the growing flow of blood in her mouth. Her jaw ached, her entire face was a cacophony of pain and numbness. God it was hard to breath.

Gunshots were heard through the walls of the office Allison was holed up in with Rumlow. Her every fiber cursing the man in front of her. His good looks were nothing compared to this ugliness in his demeanor. He was as soulless as they come in her mind. Allison's mother taught her to never curse a person to hell. But this was the exception.

He got a sick joy out of her screams and cries. And if she tried to hold them back, he only hit her harder. Her ribs hurt like hell, her collarbone most likely crushed on the right right side from a well placed punch. And if she wasn't mistaken, yup, two black eyes and a broken cheekbone. Yay.

"He's going to kill you..." She mumbled out, spitting out a mixture of blood and spit from her bloody mouth, split lip busting open again. She hoped she was wrong, that James had sent someone else. She would never forgive herself of he was taken because of her.

"What was that sweetheart?" Rumlow drew his blade again and her spine straightened. The gunshots were right outside, he was here. She hoped it was him against everything though. 

"I said, he's going to kill you." She spat out again, right on his boot. The anger and rage flashing over his face did nothing to hide the tiny glint of fear in his eyes as the door busted open behind him. 

Rumlow whirled around, gun drawn and let loose an entire clip before he was turned around all the way. The masked figure whirled and dropped down, spinning on his thigh and kicking Rumlow's legs out from under him. Rumlow went down as the other man got up. A perfectly choreographed fight flew in front of her eyes and Allison couldn't look away. 

\---

"I said, he's going to kill you." Bucky heard her gasp out. He could hear her pain in her voice and he lost what little control he had gained from dropping the last men outside the door. Allison was in there, and she knew he was coming for her. Good girl. I'm gonna get you out of this hellhole.

Bucky ran on instinct, busting the door down and instantly going down to ground level as a barrage of bullets whizzed over him. His arm whirring mechanically as he spun on his thigh and kicked the man down. His eyes wide and he kicked the gun away and dodged a blade. Rumlow. His last handler. 

Unbridled fury scorched through Bucky's entire soul. Searing a path from his heart to his veins as he took down Brock Rumlow. This man had been the cruelest of any of his handlers throughout the last seventy years. This man was a menace. This man craved and thrived on the fear from people he knew he couldn't take down. That were better than him

Bucky knew about his teams attack on Steve. That had been enough to put the man in his hit list. Now? Seeing Allison bloodied and broken sitting in that chair? This man would suffer everything the Winter Soldier was known for. And Bucky would relish in Rumlow's death like a fine wine. 

"It's nothing personal, right Rumlow?" Bucky snarled out, deep and savage as he gripped Rumlow's shirt and threw him to the ground. Taking out the knife in his right boot, Bucky carved a slice into Rumlow's cheek. Exactly like the cut on Allisons bloodied face. Bucky's dark eyes looking back down in distaste, as if Rumlow wasn't even worth the Soldier's effort to take down. 

Rumlow's eyes widened, fear creeping into him as Bucky kept carving and punching and kicking into Rumlow's body. Every punch for Allison's pain. Arms came around Bucky's shoulders and he shoved off Steve, eyes focused on his target, his mission. His bloodlust running high enough he saw nothing but red. 

Steve stumbled backwards, deciding it was better to get Allison away from the bloodshed in front of her. "Bucky stop! She's terrified!" Steve yelled at his best friend. Losing him to the Soldier as bloodlust courses through him. Rumlow long since passing out from his injuries.

"James, stop!" Allison cried out, jumping from her chair as Steve released her and throwing her arms around Bucky's metal arm. He stilled instantly as she flung herself at him, her shoulder racked with terrified sobs as she cried into his shoulder and pleaded with him to stop. 

He came back to himself more and more the longer she held onto him. He peeled her off his arm gently and brought her to face him as he cradled her in his legs on the floor. Fingertips running over her injured face and guilt filling him up to the brim. She was scared to death right now and begging him to stop trying to kill the man who had brought her pain. 

"Please, James. I'm okay. Please stop." She was whispering into his neck and he held her tighter, careful of her wincing body. Fuck, Rumlow got to her ribs. "You came... He wanted you. He wanted the Asset back." She was mumbling, rambling off in between sobs and Bucky looked up at Steve with guilt ridden eyes at her cries of pain. He had known the moment it was Rumlow, that he indeed wanted the Winter Soldier back. He'd never be that weapon again. Never.

"I came as soon as they took you away from me." He whispered back, standing slowly. His left arm cradling her knees as his other held her close to his chest. He nodded to Steve to pick up Brock's unconscious form. He was supposed to be dead months ago.

"I was so scared..." She whimpered in pain as he shook her slightly going down a flight of stairs to the outside of the building. He hated hearing her sound like this. "I knew you'd come after me. I didn't want you to. I didn't want anything to happen to you."

What

Bucky paused misstep and looked down at her bruising face. Her bright eyes dulled a bit from the blood loss and her injuries but she was still beautiful. Her words had stirred something in him, pulling at his heartstrings like a violin. She wanted him to stay away, so he wouldn't be taken again. She wanted him safe. Now he understood why she was so injured. Rumlow had wanted her to call for him, to want Bucky to come find her. And she must have tried so very hard not to.

"It's okay baby doll, I've got you. They're not getting you or me ever again, I promise." She smiled a bit before her eyes rolled back and her head lolled to the side against his chest. Out cold. 

"Steve." They had reached the bikes and Bucky moved to straddle his own, holding her close to his chest so her front faced him and pressed against him, safe as it could be. Steve looked up from throwing Rumlow, cuffed top to bottom, across the back of his bike. Icy blue eye met pale sky and locked together. 

"Take him to Shield, make sure he's never heard from again. Because if I see his face, I'll kill him." Steve nodded and they went their separate ways away from the darkened factory. A war zone of fallen men surrounding the area and filling the inside of the building. No one but Rumlow left alive.

Bucky held Allison tight against his chest as he sped to the tower. There was no way in hell he would take her to the city hospital. He wasn't leaving her side. She was staying close to him. He didn't care how angry it made her. She want leaving his side.


	11. Chapter 11

"You are not going anywhere in your condition Allison." The small red headed woman nearly growled as Allison was once again thwarted in her attempt to run away in the dead of night. 

Two days. Two entire days of sitting or sleeping in a hospital bed, never mind it was comfier than hers at home but still. Going out of her mind with worry and boredom and it was making for one irritable singer on the med floor of the tower. 

Allison had three broken ribs, left cheekbone was broken, two black eyes and so many bruises she looked more purple than her usual lightly tanned skin. The clean swipe of the knife had left a nice looking cut from the corner of her eyes right down to her jawline. It was going to scar... She looked like she felt, like absolute shit. But she couldn't stay here. She didn't belong in this expensive tower with these amazing people. Nope. 

So she tried to leave, at least twice now already. And every time was stopped every single time by the one and only Black Widow. Made to go back to bed and rest and let her body heal. They didn't know she couldn't sit still. She was a performer. Always moving and talking and animated. Staying still all day long led to restless nights and cranky mornings. 

She didn't belong here. These people were the freaking Avengers! What was she compared to them? Nothing, absolutely nothing and she hated being in their debt for helping her. But mostly she hated that James hadn't come to check on her once. So much for his whispered promises. She was nothing but a conquest to him and now that she was broken, he didn't want her.

And that's what was killing her inside. He'd come to save her, only to find damaged goods. She was scarred and broken and every cruel word from her ex was blasting at full volume in her mind as she tried to just get out of the tower and leave these people behind. 

"I have to go home." Was her grumbled response. Clutching her ribs with both arms Allison made a beeline as fast as she could to the elevator. The Black Widow calmly asking the AI to not open the doors. 

"Let me leave..." 

"Nope." She almost sounded, chipper. This woman with shocking red hair and a deadly stance sounded chipper. What the hell.

"I can't stay here. I don't belong." Allison leaned against the wall by the elevator, already she felt taxed and exhausted from the short walk down the hall.

"Why not?" Natasha stood across the hall from the injured woman. Her eyes taking in every detail as Allison's face fell and she bit her busted lip to keep the tears welling up at bay. The girl had it bad. 

Allison looked up, schooling her face to one of anger instead of the hurt she was feeling. "Because I don't belong with you. I'm not meant to be here. I'm nothing compared to anyone here." She snarled out and if Natasha had been a normal woman, she would have flinched at the sound of despair hidden under Allison's words. 

But she wasn't a normal woman, and she knew Bucky better than he knew himself sometimes. She could see what was going through Allison's mind right now. The hurt. The thoughts of betrayal from something so new the girl didn't know up from down. Thinking she wasn't good enough because of her job or her home or her life before hand. 

"If you're so keen on getting out of the medical wing, why don't we get you some normal food?" Natasha stood to her full height and motioned for Allison to follow her into the elevator. She didn't offer the girl help, she could see the stubborn side of her. The want to be strong. It was admirable. "Come on, I'm sure you're hungry."

"Some tea would be nice..." Allison whispered as she clasped a hand over her ribs from being curled over against the wall. Following the red head into the elevator and trusting the red head enough to not lead her somewhere she didn't want to go. 

"Let's have a chat about Sargent Barnes shall we?"

\-----

Wanda stalked through the corridor of a floor that wasn't hers and her brothers. She had enough of the guilty thoughts and visions coming from a certain soldier and she was through losing sleep over it. Her dark almost glowing eyes caught sight of Steve as he came from the small kitchen on the floor and she backed him into the island with her eyes alight. 

"You will talk to him. This has gone on long enough. It's not his fault and we all know it. He needs to go to her." She practically yelled out at the suddenly wide eyed Captain. Her accent thick with her aggravation. Wanda Maximoff never being one to speak much in the first place. 

"She needs him just as much as he needs her. Talk to the soldier. He needs to go to her and be there for her. She's hurt he's not by her side after everything she went through. Go, talk to him, now. So that I can sleep through the night." With that she turned on her heel and stalked off back to her shared floor and away from the other man out of time. 

\----

Allison sat at the communal kitchen bar, nursing a second cup of tea as Natasha told her more about James. More detailed renderings of what he went through and how hard he fought to bring back his sanity after the decades of being held by hydra. Her heart breaking at the trials he went through on a daily basis just to not give in to his darker side that was forced into him.

"I know he comes off strong and cocky, believe me I know. But he's a good heart Allison." Natasha reached over the steady the girls hands as they held her mug shakily. 

"What do you mean?"

"All I'm saying, all I'm asking, is you give him a chance. He ran from the tower the moment he knew where you were taken. Killed nearly a hundred men just to get to you Allison. To save you from anything worse then what you already had endured." Natasha cocked her head to the side. "I know he's a bit possessive, and you'll have to fight tooth and nail with him sometimes, but I know him. And he doesn't run off in the middle do the night for some random girl. He could have sent anyone of us instead to go get you. He went by himself, Steve close on his heels. To be honest, I haven't seen him so expressive since he first met you. That man doesn't express himself, ever."

Allison placed her mug down and covered her aching face with her hands, ignoring the sharp sting of pain from her busted cheekbone. "I can't do possessive asshole again, i really can't survive another relationship that controls me.."

"He would never dream of doing that. Don't you see? He went through decades of people controlling his every move. He would never do that to you. Hell, he only ever takes orders from Rogers and even then Steve has to ask a certain way." Natasha gently pried Allison's hands from her face, knowing it had to hurt. "He means well I swear. He's just a bit...strung out, from actually caring about someone other than Rogers. Just give him a chance, okay?"

Begrudgingly Allison nodded and let Natasha take her elbow and help her back to the medical ward so she could go back to sleep. Her mind full of reasons why she should leave and had to get as far from them all as possible. But her gut, and her heart, were telling her to sit tight just a little longer. Crawling into bed, taking her pain medication to hopefully let her get some rest, Allison fell asleep to thoughts and memories of James saving her two days before and the indescribable feeling of being watched over safely. 

\---

Bucky watches her sleep from the chair across the room, slumped back and long legs sprawled out in front of him. His hands clasped together and fingers steepled to rest against his lips as his brow furrowed. Allison was mumbling in her sleep. He leaned forward slightly, closer to her to maybe hear what she was saying.

"Leave..."

"...n't leave..."

Bucky tilted his head to the side and stood, leanings close to her silently so not to wake her.

"James..." His heart skipped a beat.

"James... Don't leave... Me." She wanted him to stay... Did she even consciously know he was here? Bucky reached over and tucked a stray curl of her long hair behind her ear. His gut wrenching at the purple bruises peeking from the bandages covering her knife wounds. 

"I won't leave you." He whispered inaudibly to the sleeping girl on the bed. And he wouldn't. His early morning talk with Steve had him rethinking a lot of things. But one thing for sure, he'd caused this, and he'd do whatever it takes to make it right.

She'd always be a target now. Even if he left her alone, she would be in danger if left alone. He couldn't bear to see her hurt right now, what if he hadn't gotten there in time? If Tony's hard work hadn't noticed the lights and van in the video feed. 

She had looked so terrified in that chair. Blood running down the side of her face and down her neck. Her wide eyes scared and fearful as he took down Rumlow in a blind red hazed rage. And she.. She had thrown her arms around his arm. His metal arm. His weapon. Without a single thought as to what damage that limb could cause with only a quarter of the strength in it. Begging him to stop, to focus on her and not the half dead man under his fists. And it had worked. The moment she touched him a calm came over his entire body like none he had ever experienced since his years with hydra.

She wanted him to stay. She wanted him safe. To stay away and she had fought with everything she had against her captors just to do that. Allison tossed a bit in her sleep, breathing in sharply at the way her ribs pulled from her moving and she groaned out gently. Bucky made to move away from her but he couldn't. Something in him keeping his bare feet firmly planted on the floor by her bedside as her eyes opened slowly into the early morning light.

She didn't flinch away from his dark form hovering above her. That surprised him just as much as anything about her. Her unwavering trust that he wouldn't hurt her because of what he was. 

"Hey.." She coughed out a strangled hello and Bucky reached over for the glass of water at the bedside table, watching as she gingerly drank the entire glass.

"Hey, doll." He smiled a bit at her as she tried to tame the mass of curls tangled around her head and chest. 

Allison sat up , wincing a bit from her ribs but finally sighing and looking over at him for a moment. "You came to see me.."

"Course I did.." It was in fact the first time he'd seen her awake since she had been here but she didn't need to know he watched her sleep, creepy.

"I'm glad.. I .. I missed you." Her face blushed a bit around the bruises and she looked so darn beautiful Bucky had to smile at her. He had missed her too.

"Who, this old man?" He joked slightly, and was rewarded by her small smile on her busted bottom lip. 

"You're not too old, you're the man who saved my life." She locked eyes with him and his face fell slightly.

"The one who put you in danger in the first place..."

"I don't care. You saved me. You came to find me... Thank you." She reached out and took his right hand gently in her own small ones. Her touch warm and spreading something through him he'd never felt before.

"I'm not safe for you to be around... No matter how much I want to be near you." He barely whispered out.

"Yeah well... You got me now Barnes.." She tugged his arm so he bent down, brows furrowed as she kissed his cheek sweetly. 

"You do always get what you want, right?" He was speechless and it caused her to laugh softly, making her ribs spasm in pain and her to gasp out. His hands dropped hers and he helped her lay back down to ease the pressure on her broken bones.

"I thought I had to try harder?" He quirked, earning another small smile from her.

"Yeah well, you pretty much skipped the first date when you came in knives blazing to my rescue." She turned to look at him, loving the way his face looked as he tried to smile at her.

"Did I now?"

"Mhmmm. But I expect a real first date Barnes." 

Bucky's stares at her, wide eyed with the face of a young boy getting his first real date. "You mean..."

"Yeah, you're getting your shot at this bruised and broken singer from a burlesque lounge who lives in a shitty apartment and doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut while being held hostage." Her lips quirked into an uneasy smile.

"You..." Bucky reached out and combed his fingers into her hair behind her ear, leaning down to run the tip of his nose and his lips over her unbroken cheek bone to press a feather light kiss on her lips. "are the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on, even right now."

Allison smiled brightly underneath all her injuries. A blush covering her cheeks as she bit her lip. "And you've got a fire in you like the girls from my day." Bucky leaned back and smiled. "I like a girl with fire in her."


	12. Chapter 12

Natasha liked her coffee sweet. Only Clint knew about this. She would get her coffee on her floor, and then go to the communal kitchen. She couldn't risk letting everyone know about how she poured enough sugar and cream into her mug that it nearly turned white. She'd just slap a lid on that cup and no one would ever know the difference. An assassin needs a few secrets. 

Making her way to the kitchen nearly a week later. Natasha heard muffled low yelling and slowed in her steps. The deep baritone sounded like Bucky and .. Wanda? Curious Natasha crept around the corner and spied on the witch and soldier. These two rarely spoke to each other unless it was in Russian and making fun of Tony.

"I don't know how to do this!"

"Yes you do. You have been all this time."

"Being gentle isn't part of the winter soldier.."

"He is a part of you but not the dominant part. You have done so well with her. Keep trying."

Natasha knew exactly what they were talking about now. She walked around the corner and smiled at Wanda.

"She's right, xBarnes. You've been doing so well with Allison. I haven't heard a growl out of you in nearly a week." Nat smirked at Bucky's look of confusion.

"I do not growl..." He grumbled out and turned to grab a mug.

"See right there? You're growling right now." Nat responded and earned another low rumble from the soldier in warning.

"But Wanda is right. As far as I can see you've been great with Allison with being gentle with her." Wanda nodded her agreement wisely, leaning a bit on the tall island.

"It feels... Weird to be gentle. I'm not made for gentle..."

"You're made for *her* Barnes." Nat turned on the assassin and glared at him. "She is a perfect match for you, I mean perfect. You will never find another girl like her." 

"She's right. You must say, she is what you call.." Wanda racked her brain for the translation or reference in English. "Soul mate? Yes?" Natasha stilled but then smiled widely and nodded at the younger girl. 

"Soulmate.. Bunch of hogwash.." Bucky muttered into his mug but it made him think. And by the look of Wanda's knowing face, she knew exactly how he felt about it. He growled at her and she snickered to move away from the growly soldier. 

The elevator doors opened and like a shock of lightning through him, Bucky knew instantly who it was. Turning he made his way to the doors and helped Allison over to the breakfast table. 

"I have broken ribs, not broken legs." She rolled her eyes as his hands landed on her opposite hip and close elbow. Truly she felt fine but the ache was still there in her chest. Her face healing up nicely along the clean cut across the cheek. Her mark from choosing a demon. 

"My Ma would have my head for not escorting a beautiful dame to the table." He smirked down at her cheekily and Allison had to roll her eyes to keep from blushing at how his Brooklyn accent would slip out gently like that when he didn't think about it.

"She'd also have your head for watching me sleep but I don't really mind." Allison quipped back and smiled in greeting to the other two women in the kitchen. Wanda and Natasha both nodding like the wise women they were on the inside.

"What would you like for breakfast Allison?" Wanda spoke up, a connection forming between the two in the span of the week since she's been brought here.

"Please, you can call me Alley," Allison smiled at the dark haired girl and got a wide smile in return. 

"Actually... If you wouldn't mind helping me, I'd like to make breakfast for everyone.." She turned to Bucky quickly, looking up at him from her chair with those practiced puppy dog eyes that made him snarl and give in to anything she wanted lately, besides leaving the tower. 

"You're healing.."

"James, it's breakfast, it's not like I'm going to run a triathlon." She raised an eyebrow and he relented, sighing and nodding his consent. She didn't need it, if she really wanted to do something she would have done it with or without his consent.

An hour and a half later, all three women with smudges of flour all over their clothes, had laid the table with enough food to fill up Thor at least twice. Pancakes, waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, sausages, the works.

As if on a signal the elevator started to open up and the rest of the team of misfits made their way to the intoxicating smell of homemade breakfast. 

"Oh sweet lord almighty... Are those muffins?!" Clint dropped from the air vent causing Natasha to swat at him over the side of the head as he grabbed a handful of them and ducked from her hand.

Bucky sat in amazement. Even injured as she was, with a few breaks to ease the ache in her ribs, she had done most of the work with Wanda and Natasha helping . Like a well oiled machine they spun out a table creaking under the weight of their efforts. 

Seeing her there, cheeks and wrinkled sleep shirt spattered with flour , that smile on her face. He couldn't help himself, he got up from his perch on the stool and walked over to her. His large hands cupping her cheeks suddenly enough to make her gasp audibly and the others looked over. He leaned forward and brushed his lips gently against hers, one hand traveling down her jaw to the back of her neck to tangle in her mass of bed head that he loved so much. 

She leaned against his chest, making his neck crick with the effort to bend down to her height as she opened up to his prodding nips and gave a whimper of surprise when the hand in her hair tightened and she submitted into the possessive hold he had on her. Kissing him back with reckless abandon until the sharp pain in her battered cheekbone made her whimper and reach up to cup the injured side of her face.

"Shit, you alright baby doll?" His hand left her hair and guilt riddled his heart as he pressed his fingers gently to see if he had hurt her. 

"'M fine... I'm fine." She breathed out, smirking a little at him before startling and clutching onto his t shirt as a round of wolf whistles and catcalls came from the full table of avengers. A rosy blush on her cheeks as Bucky grinned wolfishly at his teammates as his metal arm came around her waist gently to pull her against his side. 

"Get a room Frosty!" Tony yelled over a plateful of eggs and bacon, fork pointed to the elevator as Bucky rolled his eyes and escorted Allison to the empty chair between Wanda and Steve. 

"Who made this glorious feast?! It is delicious!" Thor's booming voice resounded from his end of the table where he had already devoured half of the food set out near him.

"Allison," Natasha spoke up loud enough for Thor to hear and a few forks stopped mid mouth. 

"You shouldn't be over exerting yourself.."

"We could have made breakfast."

"You didn't need to do that."

Allison blushed and shook her head. "No, I wanted to. You all have been so nice to me and gone out of your way to make me comfortable. I wanted to thank you." She smiled and with some looks to a smirking Bucky, they all went back to eating everything in sight. 

Bucky gripped her shoulder gently from behind and went to take his place on Steve's right side. 

A phone was going off in the lounge area outside the kitchen. A song playing and Allison instantly blushes and jumps up despite Bucky's growl at her moving so quickly and she reaches for the device. Stopping the annoying ringtone of the song, "keep on knocking but you can't come in".

"Hello? Tess!" Allison put a finger up as Bucky went to stand up, motioning him back down as she sat on one of the couches to make him happy.

"Mhmm! I'm doing fine. A little aches from my ribs and my cheek still hurts sometimes.." Her free hand flew up to her scarred cheek and her face fell slightly. "I'm cut up Tess... I don't know.." "The club.." "No I know ..." "Tess...." "You're a crabby old woman you know that?" "Fine.." Her gaze went back to a curious Bucky who was watching her like a hawk from the table. "Yeah, I'll come by tonight okay? Bye Tess."

Allison smiled a bit timidly at Bucky's intense gaze. Still not used to the way it made her heart flutter and her blood pump. He was watching her as she set her phone back down and went back to the table. Giving him a look that said "we'll talk later".

\---

"No."

"Excuse me? Did you just tell me no?" Allison snarled back at Bucky and he almost let up, almost. But he was firm in his side.

"You're not going back to you're apartment. At least not by yourself." Allison rolled her eyes, exasperated.

"Fine, I'll take Wanda with me or Natasha. But i still gotta go to the club tonight James. If I don't at least make an appearance the club will close!" She seethed and rubbed absently at her ribs as the ache from her shouting got to her.

They'd been arguing for half an hour now and it was taxing on her nerves to have him look so upset and scared at the same time. What could seriously go wrong? It's not like she was openly going out with a giant target on her back. As long as she didn't go to the bad neighborhoods she should be fine, right?

She needed to check on her apartment to make sure nothing was stolen. See if her truck still had tires. And she needed to go to work tonight to at least sing a couple slow songs so the crowd wouldn't thin out anymore than it had . The club suffers without her, and she couldn't make Tess go through that again. 

Rubbing her temple she sighs and looks up at him. "James, come on. I'll be fine. I know this is all sort of new to you, but you don't need to be my shadow every moment of every day.."

"I won't lose you. I won't let you get hurt again.." His left hand clenches and she could see the plates shifting as the arm mimicked the rolling of muscles. 

"You're not going to." She took a deep breath and ruffled her hands through her curled hair. "I trust you to protect me. I do. But you can't keep me locked up. I'm going crazy being cooped up all day long in this giant tower."

His breath left him in a gust from his lips and he reached for her. Pulling her flush against his body as his arms encircled her to press her tight against him, mindful of her chest. He nuzzled his lips and nose into her hair and breathed in the scent of her apple shampoo. Just holding her made his calm. A feeling he was quickly getting addicted to.

"I'll have Wanda and Nat go with you, and I'll meet you at the club later tonight." He reach forward and cupped her chin in his fingers to make her look up at him. "But under no circumstances are you to go anywhere by yourself. Please Doll, please promise me." He pleaded, he was pleading with her and it tugged at her heart. This man wanted her safe more than anything and she could feel it.

"Okay.. I'll take them with me and I'll stay safe...you know...You're lucky you're extremely attractive." She mumbled and rolled her eyes at the way his devil may care smirk spread over his lips and his hold on her changes from gentle to possessive as his left hand trailed further down her spine teasingly. 

"Extremely attractive you say? I may have to get that in writing. Show Stark even an old man can be hotter than him." He leans down and nips along the edge of her jaw with his teeth, receiving a soft gasp from her lips.

"Shut up and kiss me Sargent..." She grumbles at him. Because this man has seen her bloodied and broken and still makes her feel as if she's the most beautiful thing in the world. 

"Ma'am, yes ma'am." He snarks cheekily and devoured any response she would have had with a dominating kiss that leaves her weak kneed and gasping for breath as she clings onto his shirt for dear life.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper is scary

The halls were quiet as Bucky made his way to the training room on his floor he shared with Steve. The floor was so massive that even if they were both in the same floor, they wouldn't exactly know if the other was there unless they told each other. 

He liked it that way sometimes. He could go train in the small gym while Allison took a nap in the afternoon and maybe he would run into Steve during the walk back and forth or in the gym. Contrary to everyone's thinking, they weren't exactly attached at the hip. They each had grown in the many years since before the war and understood sometimes the other needed some space just to clear his head. 

But right now he needed to let off some steam that had been collecting since overhearing Allison's phone call with her boss and the argument they had after that. He had relented, but not easily. The soldier in him snarling to get out and make her stay out where he knew she was safe. But Allison was smart and a free spirit. If she wanted to go, she'd leave with or without his permission. And he knew that. 

He didn't want to control her. God knows he'd kill himself for even thinking about it. But he couldn't stop the instinctual urge to protect her more than anything in him. 

The avenger alarm went off as the second punching bag fell to the ground and split open, spilling sand all over the floor in front of the sweaty mass of metal and man. With an angry growl he was off down the hall and into the elevator, heading straight to Stark's office where the rest of the team would be gatherings. Briefly he thought he should stop and tell Allison where he was going, a quick peek in at her napping on his bed made him think better on it and keep going. 

\----

Aching. Ugh ribs hurt..."James?" Allusion mumbled softly into the warm blankets, her mind registering the all too familiar feel of him curling up against her wasn't there. He usually was there when she woke up from her afternoon nap. The drugs for her broken ribs having made her tired by the early afternoon.

Sitting up and reaching up to the bedside table, Allison dry swallowed the pain pills that the kind Dr. Banner had given her. Checking her phone she realized she had slept much longer than she had intended. 

After dressing in her usual pre show outfit, shorts, matching tank top, adorable printed cardigan and tennis shoes. Allison still hadn't found James. Taking the elevator to the common floor she found Natasha and Wanda speaking to a strawberry blonde in tall hells and looked gorgeous in office wear. 

"Allison," Wanda spoke her name before she turned and smiled at the singer as she made her way toward. Alley would still never understand how the younger girl would tell when she was near. Course there had to be a reason she was a junior avenger. 

"Hey sweety," Allison greeted the dark haired beauty with a smile and slid into the free arm chair across from Natasha.

"This is Pepper Potts, Allison. She runs Stark Industries for Tony." Natasha introduced the two and Allison nodded kindly to the other woman. 

"It's nice to finally meet the woman who has the stoic and quiet Sargent so smiley and happy." They all chuckled softly while Allison blushed and dismissed them.

"Speaking of... Have any of you seen him?" Natasha and Wanda shared a look and both kept quiet. Uh oh.

"Natasha... " Allison asked and the red head sighed softly, for not being a trained agent, this girl could read the smallest looks.

"Most of the team got called into a mission an hour ago. It was high priority hostage case and they had to leave quickly." All three other women sat in silence as Allison processed that information.

She sort of knew what she was getting into, letting herself get involved with James Barnes. She knew he was the winter soldier. That he had so much blood on his hands that his skin turned Crimson. But it wasn't his fault. She forgave that before she even fully knew about it. It didn't bother her like it should have.

He was an avenger now. He saved countless lives frequently. It was his job. Going out on missions was what he did. He worked alongside his team to protect the people everywhere. It was dangerous and he could get hurt... He had been hurt.

She'd seen the scars along his arms and chest, the one quick glimpse she'd got of him without a shirt on. Besides the rippling muscles under somehow soft skin. He was marred with them. Covered most likely in head to toe injuries at one or more points in his life.

Allison started to breath heavily, her hand clutching at her chest as the other gripped the arm of her chair. She was scared out of her mind for him in a matter of seconds. He was off, doing god knows what and getting hurt, and she couldn't do anything to help him stay safe..

"Allison?... Allison!" Someone was shaking her shoulder and she gasped out, taking in lungfuls of air as her breathing evened out slightly.

"He's going to be fine Allison. He's an avenger, a super soldier." Natasha knelt in front of the gasping woman and tried to calm her new friend. Lord that's weird to say...Natasha having a new friend. 

"But he.."

"Honey the only thing that can really hurt him, would be you." Pepper spoke up and gripped her right shoulder in a comforting hold. Calming the girl further until she nodded and flushed with embarrassment. She had reacted completely hysterical in seconds because she was worried about James, the winter soldier. 

"He will be safe so long as you are Allison," Wanda spoke in that accented voice that felt heavy with wisdom beyond her years. 

"She's right. He's fine, Rogers has his six," Natasha smiled and Allison laughed softly at her silly behavior. They'd barely been together a week. Were they together? Oh lord she had no idea with him. But it felt right, being with him.

"If we don't leave soon you'll be late Alley," Allison nodded and shoved her phone in her pocket and made her way to the elevator with Natasha and Wanda close on her heels.

"It was nice to meet you Pepper." 

"Likewise Allsion," pepper smiled at the blonde before the elevator doors closed and her smile instantly went to a scowl. She wasn't close with Barnes like the men were but she knew enough that she wouldn't be scared of him. Oh but he needed to be afraid of her... how dare he not tell Allison where he had gone? And he was going to get one hell of a phone call, right now. Her temper was legendary and sent Tony running for cover. 

\---

"Oh my god, ALLEY!!!" A scream ran out to the empty bar as Allison walked in. A group of squealing woman running to her and jumping off the stage as they surrounded her. Natasha and Wanda smiled at the women as they checked over Allison like a bunch of mother hens. Looking at them all she noticed why, Allison was the youngest in the large group of dancers and singers. In fact... How old was Allison? Hmmm.

Making their way to the group, introductions were made and the two avengers saw a smile that only came out when she was looking at Bucky. The group multiplied as bartenders and stage crew and the band all gathered around the smiling woman like a beacon of light they were drawn to.

"Tess!" Allison wraps her arms around her boss/stand in mother for years now, and hugs her close.

"Oh honey... They really cut you up.." Tess' finger grazed over the pink and healing cut over the girls cheek and jaw and Allison stilled.

"It's not that bad is it?" 

"Nothing some make up can't cover up if you want honey." Another tight hug and the boss shooed everyone back to work before the club opened up in a couple hours.

Natasha and Wanda slipped to a table by the stage as Tess and Alley went over a few moves for her replacement. She couldn't do most of her numbers because of her ribs but she could take over the vocals as the other girls took over her part in the dances. 

"Hey Alley? Would umm.. Wanda? Would Wanda like to learn?" The dark haired girls head shots up and she shook her head vehemently as a dark skinned girl, cocoa she thinks, smiled and trudged her up onto the stage. 

"Oh no! I am no good with these things !" She squeaks out and causes them all to giggle softly at her discomfort. 

"We have time before we have to get ready, we'll show you one easy number okay?" Allison smiled and earned a hesitant nod from the girl who was quickly becoming like a little sister to her.

Natasha simply smirked and pulled her stark phone out, sending a text to Steve to check on the team herself .

N - everything okay Cap

S - Winters pouting , I don't think I've ever seen a grown man pout, what do I do??? He's freaking Sam and Scott out

Natasha held back a chuckle and smirked at the phone, her eyes glancing up to see Wanda actually taking the dancing quite naturally, she'd have to change her training a bit, that could come in handy.

N - (image sent) show him this 

She had snapped a pic of Allison the other day. Sitting over Bucky's lap in a big armchair during weekly movie night. Her legs bracketed his thighs and lap as her arms had curled up against his chest, his own thick arms wrapped over her. His cheek pressed to her hair as they both dozed in the dim lit lounge. It was precious and she couldn't help snapping the picture at the time. 

S - That perked him up, thanks Widow, you're a genius

T - do not listen to Capsicle, I am the genius here

B - thank you

Smiling slightly Natasha pocketed her phone after sending the same picture to Bucky's own phone. Her attention at the stage where Wanda was easily picking up the next set of steps and Allison smiled proudly, her one arm around her ribs and Natasha scowled. They were healing slowly and she could hint at the disappointment on the singers face that she couldn't dance yet.

\---

The jet was loud in his sensitive ears. When did drug dealers get creative with bombs?? His head aches from the close explosions that had gone off , Steve grabbing him and had thrown him behind a van to clock move of the debris. Punk.

He wanted to sleep. He really wanted a shower. He really wanted to punch Tony for blaring rock music on the jet as they headed back to the tower. But mostly he wanted Allison. Make sure she's okay and safe. 

His fingers opened up his phone again, thumb trailing over the picture Natasha had sent him before the mission got under way. It was a candid shot, something Tony would tease him for but he didn't care. He had loved the way she felt in his arms, wrapped up and curled into him. In fact she usually took her naps like that, curled on his chest. God he missed her. He regretted not stopping to tell her where he had gone but honestly he hadn't thought much past getting to breifing and the mission.

Suddenly his phone was vibrating and the caller id said Potts. His brow furrowed and he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"James Buchanan Barnes!! Do you have any idea what you put that girl through today?!" Peppers voice was so loud that Tony, Sam, Steve and Scott all turned to face the paling super soldier.

"Is she safe?!"

"Of course she is!! Do you have no sense ?! She went hysterical almost when she couldn't find you and then figured out you left on a mission without telling her!!" 

Bucky's face paled more, because this woman's voice was sending a chill down his spine.

"I swear to god you will not pull this on her again. Do you hear me Barnes? She was out of her mind with worry for you and started to have a panic attack! You will tell her the next time you leave on a mission because that girl is terrified of losing you" her voice quieted.

"Shit... You angered the beast..." Tony whispers with wide eyes at the soldiers pale face.

"It won't happen again, I promise"

"No James Barnes. Don't promise me anything. Promise her!" With that she hung up and Bucky was left staring at his phone in shock, awe, and a little bit of fear.


	14. Chapter 14

The club filled up quickly and Natasha and Wanda made themselves comfortable in a table close to the stage and also near the curtain to the dressing rooms beyond. Both women had made a promise to the soldier to watch over her when not just in the tower and this was no different. But it wasn't that they weren't enjoying themselves either. 

Alley had an amazing voice. The first few numbers she stayed by the band while the girls did the normal routines for the songs. Wanda sat up straight in her seat whenever Alley sang and her younger eyes watched with rapt attention at the smooth movements of the dancers. If Natasha didn't know any better, she would think the dark haired witchy girl wanted to be up there too.

Natasha's phone buzzed.

B - She's not answering her phone, is she safe?

Natasha rolled her eyes. Overprotective dolt, he was adorable.

N - She's singing, I'll have her text you when she gets a break. Aren't you supposed to be here too?

B - I'm a half hour out, soon as I can, save me a seat up front

Wanda gave her a look and Nat showed the girl her phone, the younger smirking as they turned back to the stage where alley was smiling down at them for a moment between verses.

\----

He showered faster than even Pietro could accomplish as he pulled on his jeans and a black v-neck long sleeved Henley simultaneously. Ruffles a hand through his still wet hair and mumbled a fuck it as he grabbed his phone and rushed down the hall to the elevator. Straight to the garage on the bottom level and to his bike.

Only to be met with a group of far too many people all showered and ready to go like this was planned. His brows furrowed and he swiped a hand through his dark hair. Nearly everyone was down her standing around Stark's cars, waiting on him it seemed.

Scott, Sam, Rhodey, Tony, Pietro, Steve, Pepper, Maria, Thor and Clint all turned to smirk at him.

"Oh hell no," Bucky growled and went in a bee line to his motorcycle. Everyone just giving him a grin and piling into cars, Steve straddling his own bike besides his.

"They're all seriously coming?" 

Steve chuckled and clapped his best friends back heartily. Starting his bike Bucky simply rolled his eyes and took off, Steve close to his left as the trail of avengers and friends headed to the club.

Tess' eyes widened into plates as Steve Rogers came through the dimly lit hall to the entrance into the main club, with a giant group of people behind him. Stunned only for a moment, she smiled at Bucky and have him a wink as she waved over them all pulling out their wallets. Leading them into the darkened open space to the tables she kept empty for surprise groups like this. 

"You're just in time, her next numbers coming up." Wanda spoke up to Bucky and Steve as everyone piled in and ordered drinks. She looked up and received a brotherly kiss to her cheek from Pietro before he zoomed back and took a seat next to Scott. 

The lights dimmed even more and the band started to tune up for another song. Bucky's smiling turning into a prideful smirk as everyone in the tables , his friends and teammates, we're going to get a first hand look at how amazing his girl was.

The curtain raised, deep blue and pink lights scattered over the pile of bodies on the floor, waiting for their cue to start. A tall long figure in black in the middle of the breathing girls and suddenly the lights went up and the crowd could see the scantily clad woman on stage. 

"Show a little more,  
Show a little less,  
Add a little smoke  
Welcome to Burlesque,  
Everything you dream of,  
But never can possess  
Nothing's what it seems  
Welcome to Burlesque,"

Alley right in front and center as the soft strums of the band set a sensual pace as the girls rose and danced. Throwing their hips back and forth and stalking around each other like hungry wolves.

 

"Oh, everyone is buying,  
Put your money in my hand,  
If you got a little extra  
well, give it to the band,  
You may not be guilty  
But you're ready to confess  
Tell me what you need,  
Welcome to Burlesque,"

She strutted slowly around the other girls. A soft touch here, a gentle careless there, a smirk and a hip nudge to another. She was wearing a mock carnival ringleader outfit. Long and open coat that tied just under her breasts showing the silvery voice underneath. Her hair curled in heavy spirals under a ringleader hat cocked to the side. She never looked more beautiful to him. 

"You can dream of Coco,  
Do it at your risk  
The Triplets grant you mercy  
But not your every wish,  
Jesse keeps you guessing,  
So cool and statuesque  
"Behave yourself" says Georgia  
Welcome to Burlesque,"

She smiled at her dancers, the epitome of sexuality as they swayed with each other and teased the crowd heavily with their movements and words. Bucky worried about her ribs, she was favoring her side gently but not enough to warrant too much concern. He licked his lips at the sight of her, remembering why he went after her in the first place.

"Oh, everyone is buying,  
Put your money in my hand,  
If you want a little extra,  
Well, you know where I am"

She found Bucky, her eyes lighting up more than ever. She smiled brightly and put some more heart into her voice as she bumped and ground her hips with the other girls. Winking at him she flickered her fingers at him teasingly and everyone saw it.

"Something very dark  
Is playing with your mind  
It's not the end of days,  
It's just a bump and grind"

She went closer to the stage edge and her fingers played over her abdomen and bare collarbone. Her eyes in Bucky and nothing else as she finished her song. 

"Show a little more  
Show a little less  
Add a little smoke  
Welcome to… Burlesque"

She fell back with the other girls into her pose at the end of the song. The drums finishing off and the lights going black over the stage as they struck a final pose massed together in the middle of the stage. The applause erupting as the curtain came down quickly and covered the group.

"That's... That's her?" Rhodey, wide eyed and jaw agape at Bucky.

"Told you she could sing.." Sam and Scott both spoke up and smiled at the others shocked expressions that hadn't yet seen Allison at what she does best. 

Bucky soaked it all in. Prideful of his girl and how the others reacted. He wouldn't be with just any girl. He knows a special one when he sees it. And she was something else entirely. And all his. 

Wanda watched in utter awe and something stirred in her she'd never experienced before. It scared her, but she wanted up there. She wanted to dance like Allison. Natasha saw the gleam in the young girls eyes and smiled, maybe Alley could take on a pupil...

"Welcome to the burlesque lounge." A sultry voice spoke on the other side of the table, everyone turning in their chairs quickly to see a smirking Allison in her usual between show outfit, the shorts and v-neck vest , her eyes only for Bucky. Looking like a sex goddess standing there with her hand on her hip and her hair flowing and wild. 

"You're back.." She rushed around the table and wrapped her arms around Bucky, he held her right and whispered how sorry he was that he hadn't told her he had a mission. "As long as you're okay, you're okay, right?" He nodded, his eyes flickering to Steve to shut his opening mouth about the bombs that he had barely escaped. 

Most of the group shocked, the ones who hadn't yet witnessed the already fast moving relationship of the two, that she had just flung herself into his arms and didn't give one damn about his arm or his job or his history. 

"Sorry to just drop in, but I really have to get back stage..." She stood to leave, waving at the group of new friends before she was spun around by a metal hand on her wrist. Landing smack dab in Bucky's lap. His right hand coming up to cup her jaw as he attacked her lips with his own in a punishing kiss. Openly taking her mouth in front of everyone around him and not giving a damn if they all witnessed it. It wasn't just staking his claim, he honestly couldn't keep his hands off of her for too long. 

With a growl he released her, pecked her lips once more for good measure and let her off of his lap. Pleased with himself as she stumbled away from the table, weak kneed and breathless from his kiss. 

"Hot damn... I don't think we can call him Frosty anymore... Because that was so insanely hot..." Tony spoke up and earned a smack over his ear from Pepper as she rolled her eyes.

Bucky watched her leave, as did many other men in the club. Their eyes never leaving her and he didn't like it much. He was a possessive asshole, he knew that, she knew that. They didn't know that. Glaring at any set of eyes that had looked from her to him , sending them wide eyed and backing away from the challenge they wouldn't live through. 

"She is amazing Bucky." Pepper smiled and clapped a hand over his bicep from over the table. He smiled kindly back at her, remembering her phone call to him instantly and making a promise to himself to talk to Alley about that later tonight. 

Looking around it really hit him. It's been almost a year since he started living normally. Cured from the brainwashing and commands and hydra. And here he was. Bucky Barnes, surrounded by actual friends. Who cared about him. He was actually free. And he'd been so cold to them most of the time. Steve and Natasha the only ones to actually get much of a reaction beside growling or one worded responses for so long. Now openly affectionate within a woman he had fallen head over boots for.

Like a weight just lifted from his shoulders he took a deep breath, catching Steve's raised eyebrow and concerned eyes. He waved him off , taking a long drink and watching the stage again as another song started up. It was all because of her, of Allison. He'd never felt like he belonged more than he did right now.

**Author's Note:**

> suggestions are welcomed!!!


End file.
